Those Who Dreamed
by PhoenixDowner
Summary: Sora is determined to save all the hearts connected to his, but no amount of determination can prepare him for the cost of taking on everyone's hurt. Sequel to Dear Sora.
1. Chapter 1 - The Lost Empire

A/N: If you have not already, please read Chapter 16 of Dear Sora first. It contains the prologue for this story. Thanks!

* * *

Chapter 1 – The Lost Empire

This wasn't the worst situation Riku had ever found himself in, but it was certainly up there.

"Look out!" Lea shouted, pointing at the incoming vehicles. They looked liked various kinds of sea life and glowed with a strange light. Their pilots were relentless, sending shot after shot of blue electricity at Mickey's Gummi Ship.

"I know, I know, I see it!" Riku jerked the controls to the right, and they went spinning. Lea swore as his head smacked the ceiling.

"Warn me when you're about to do that next time," he grumbled, rubbing his head and finally taking a seat. He fumbled with the seat belt and buckle for a moment before clicking them together just in time. Riku had to dive quickly to avoid the next onslaught. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive?" his backseat driver of a companion muttered.

"I know how to fly," Riku shot back. He might not be as good as Sora, but Mickey had made sure he'd learned how on their journey to save Aqua. Anyone would be struggling in a situation like this. Even Sora. Especially considering where they were. They'd gotten to the intended world, all right, but they'd warped right inside of a fight. The Heartless were all gone now, but the people that were currently attacking them didn't know that.

Lea clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Less snark, more driving, or we'll be fish food like that Heartless ship you took out back there."

Riku sighed and rolled his eyes. "Aren't there cannons or something you could be firing?"

"Can't do that, Master Riku, we're on a mission of peace."

Riku groaned. How had Kairi put up with this idiot for months? Riku was about ready to tear out his hair, and it hadn't even been three days. At every turn Lea questioned Riku's decisions and second-guessed him. But he knew that arguing with the man was pointless, so he ripped off the transmitter on his head and shoved it at him instead.

"Here, make yourself useful. Ask Tron if he can contact them somehow." Lea muttered something under his breath but did as he asked. "Mickey?" Riku called. "Any luck on the shields?"

"I've almost got them back in place," came Mickey's voice from the rear of the ship. "Sorry, Riku, but can you hang in there a little longer?"

Riku veered sharply to the right. They narrowly avoided a stream of blue lasers. "Working on it."

Lea tossed the transmitter back in his lap. "Tron suggested we show them the journal."

"Great, but how?" Riku's eyes briefly flickered to the old weather-beaten tome. It had a golden clasp that had once served as a lock, but had been broken and forcibly opened. They hadn't found Even on Radiant Garden, and it was their only clue to deciphering his research on replicas and artificial bodies. Research that they'd hoped could be used to help Roxas and Naminé.

It had seemed like the most logical next step. Ven was training with Merlin to regain his strength, and Aqua had been saved. She and Sora and Kairi had been sent after Terra, hoping to reach him in his rare moments of self-awareness, and Riku and Mickey and Lea were put on this mission.

But something had already gone wrong. Riku sighed. Of course Even's research was written in some ancient language no one could understand. Of course the only way to interpret it was to come here. And of course they were being attacked. Saving Roxas and Naminé just couldn't be easy, now could it?

"I dunno, I'm just the messenger boy," Lea drawled, breaking through his thoughts.

What was his problem? He was being uncooperative to the point it was endangering their lives. As Riku dodged the next onslaught of attacks, it dawned on him as to why that might be.

"Listen, Lea, I don't care what grudge you have against me for what I did to Roxas. You'll cooperate with us, right here, right now, or you'll lose your best shot at saving him."

Riku hated resorting to threats, but he didn't know what else to do. He stole a half second to glance at Lea, to see if his words had had their intended effect. Sure enough, Lea's eyes flashed and his jaw clenched.

"Now that's low, even for you."

Riku shoved down the urge to demand what that was supposed to mean and focused on driving. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did. I'll do whatever I can to save Roxas," _well, short of hurting Sora,_ "but I need your help."

Lea didn't say anything. Then there was a clicking sound as he unbuckled his seatbelt and ran off to another part of the ship. A loud beeping notified Riku that one of the escape pods had been ejected.

"What's he doing?" Riku wondered. Surely he hadn't—

"The shields are back up." Mickey took Lea's now vacant seat and buckled himself in. "Where's Lea?"

They both looked out the window as the little escape pod flew past. It crashed into the water, and Lea tumbled out of it, the journal in hand. He expertly dodged the barrage of attacks aimed his way and held the journal high in the air. He was shouting something, but they couldn't make out the words.

Whatever he said, it worked. The attacks finally ceased, and Riku was able to fly the Gummi Ship to a safe landing area near the shore. They were by some ancient and great city, its massive streets and pillars peeking out from the trees stretching out before them.

When Riku and Mickey had climbed out and waded to the shore, an envoy was there to greet them. At its head were a man and a woman dressed in strange blue and gold clothing. Riku's attention was drawn to the crystals around their necks. They looked the same as the ones that had powered the ships that had attacked them. Maybe the whole city ran on the energy they provided.

"Welcome to Atlantis," the woman said. She carried herself in a regal manner, and it was clear to Riku that she was the queen. He bowed low and put his hand across his heart, and Mickey did the same.

"Your Majesty, my name is Riku. This is my friend King Mickey. We apologize for the circumstances surrounding our arrival. I assure you, we come in peace."

"Riku," the queen said. "My name is Kida, and this is my husband Milo."

Milo adjusted the glasses perched on his nose before giving them a goofy grin. He shook their hands with more enthusiasm than Riku was expecting and introduced himself.

"Gee, it sure is great to meet you. Why, I haven't seen anyone from the surface since the members of my expedition went home."

"The surface?" Riku looked to Mickey.

Milo gave them a suspicious glance. "Well, yes. That is where you're from, right?"

Well, technically, yes. Riku was from the surface, just the surface of a different world. "Um, yeah. We found something we think belongs to you."

When Lea finally stumbled on shore with the journal in tow, he showed it to Milo and Kida. Milo took it and flipped through the pages in excitement.

"W-why yes! This is the Shepherd's Journal. I thought it had been lost for good. It includes valuable information about Atlantis."

They continued on to the palace, and Riku took it all in. Stone buildings peppered a lush jungle, the sea breeze gentle on his skin. Some of the buildings were in ruins, but others had scaffolding all over them and workers smoothing the stone, repainting it and clearing away vines. And a few still yet had been restored to their former glory. They strolled through a marketplace filled with food stalls and goods of all different kinds – plump fruit, colorful sea life, exotic looking herbs, dishes painted with blue and gold spirals, baskets – the place was bustling with life.

The people bowed their heads in respect as Kida and Milo strolled by but stole curious glances at Riku and Mickey and Lea. The adults were subtle about it, but the children just outright stared at them. Riku's eyes met a small girl's, and her mother chided her. But Riku just smiled and waved, and the girl waved shyly back, her mother giving him a grateful look.

At long last their little caravan reached the palace. It was also under renovation, its great stone columns being repainted and new masonry being carried in to replace the broken stones. Pools filled with water lilies lined the great hallway they found themselves in, and Riku was struck by how beautiful this place was. It was truly a work of art, and he wondered what it must have looked like in its prime, and what had caused it to fall into disrepair to the extent it needed renovating on this scale.

Kida cleared her throat and thanked them for finding the Shepherd's Journal. She offered a reward for its safe return, but they declined.

"Actually, though, we were hoping you might be able to help us with somethin'," Mickey said.

"You can read Atlantean, right?" Riku asked.

"Well, yes. I'm a linguist," Milo said. "I've spent my whole life studying dead languages. And even a few living ones." He grinned at Kida, who smiled back, sharing some inside joke that only the two of them could understand.

"Good. Listen, can you read what this says?" Lea practically shoved the data Tron had sent containing the files with all of Even's research in Milo's face. Milo adjusted his glasses again and peered at it, commenting on how unusual the device was before reading out a few lines.

"Bodies… can be make… no, made… from data? Huh, that's odd. Anyway, continuing on. The necessary… components? Materials? Yes, the necessary materials… uh, biological…" Milo squinted as he tried to parse the next string of words. "Sorry, I'm gonna need more time to translate all this."

 _Well, at least we found_ someone _who can read it._

"How long do you think it'll take?" Lea asked.

"A week or two, maybe more. My duties as king mean I don't have as much time for my studies anymore." He gestured to the splendid city around them. "As you can see, we've been rebuilding. Making a lot of good progress, too." He sighed and readjusted his glasses. "Until those strange enemies showed up, that is. I've never seen anything like them, and the Shepherd's Journal doesn't mention them, either. Kida's lived for thousands of years, and she's never even heard of them before."

Thousands of years? Did Atlanteans normally live that long? Before Riku could ask, Kida cleared her throat. "If you will be staying with us while Milo translates the book for you, there is a favor we have to ask of you as well."

"Ask away," Riku said. It was the least they could do.

"We need your help defending our city and our people. In times of great danger, the Heart of Atlantis chooses a royal host. As I am the last remaining member of the royal family with Atlantean blood flowing through my veins, it will choose me."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad. You probably get some cool powers, right?" Lea said. "Sounds like you can probably handle things pretty well on your own."

"If Kida remains bonded to the crystal for too long, we'll lose her forever." Milo's voice was low, a grim expression on his face. "We'd prefer not to let that happen. We've locked it away for now, but if the threat gets bad enough—"

"If we can stop the threat before it reaches that point, then it will not." Kida smiled at her husband and gave his arm a squeeze, but he just looked at her in concern.

"You said there's a Heart of Atlantis, right?" Mickey asked. He and Riku exchanged looks. The Heart of Atlantis sounded like the heart of the world. No wonder the Heartless were after it. "Gosh, we think we know what the problem is," Mickey continued. "Those enemies are called Heartless, and that's probably what they're after."

He explained what the Heartless were and how they could be defeated. Milo and Kida listened intently. They both asked many questions, which Mickey and Riku did their best to answer. The Keyblade in particular was of great interest to them. Lea, on the other hand, wore a bored expression on his face and kept tapping his foot. Riku was about ready to chew him out for being rude, only for the irony of the situation to fully hit him. Sora was always complaining about how rude Riku was, and oh how the tables had turned.

 _Guess that's what I get for trying to be the responsible one._

Eventually, Milo and Kida showed their guests to their chambers before returning to the palace. When Kida returned, it was to inform them that Milo had started work on the translations. She had changed clothes and was now dressed in battle attire, wearing blue and gold armor and gauntlets engraved with Atlantean script.

"More of the those Heartless creatures have been seen. We must work quickly to protect the city," she said.

Well, time to fulfill their end of the deal. Riku summoned his Keyblade and followed after her.

* * *

"No, no, you have to turn the crystal one quarter back _while_ your hand is on the inscription pad. Here, like this."

Kida put her hand on Mickey's inscription pad and turned the crystal. The pad glowed with a blue light, and the fishlike speeder Kida had informed them was called a Ketak sputtered to life. Mickey yelped and jumped on the back of the hovering craft just in time.

"Okay, so far so good. Now what do I do to AAHHHH!" Mickey's Ketak took off, leaving a jet of water in its wake as Mickey's voice echoed into the distance. Kida shook her head and smiled.

"He will figure it out in time. Riku, it is your turn."

The process went much more smoothly for Riku. Partly because he'd just witnessed Mickey's misadventures, but also partly because this wasn't his first time to drive something like this. His time in the Grid had prepared him well. Figuring out the weapons was trickier, but controlling the Ketak itself wasn't difficult. Once Lea had his ride, the three of them took off in the direction Mickey had disappeared to.

"So, Kida," Riku began. He had to shout for his voice to be heard over the rushing of the wind and the noise the Ketaks made. They were gliding low over the water that surrounded the city, heading to the outskirts where the latest Heartless attack had been reported.

"Yes?"

"Do these crystals power everything in your city?"

"Yes. They are a gift from the Heart of Atlantis. We lost much of our knowledge after the Mehbelmok… what was it Milo called it? Ah yes, the Great Flood. But then Milo came and brought the knowledge back to us. He knew how to read our language even though we had forgotten. With his help, we rediscovered how to use our lost technology. It has been useful in defending our city."

There it was again. The Heart of Atlantis. Riku was about to ask her more about it when Lea's shout drew his attention. There was a group of Heartless nearby. He summoned his Keyblade and attacked. It connected with one of them, a strange, marine-looking creature with gears and metal dotting its body. It almost blended in with their Ketaks, but its yellow eyes gave it away. Riku steered his Ketak in a loop and doubled back for another attack.

Kida, meanwhile, had vaulted off of her Ketak and landed on one of the Heartless's backs. She stabbed it over and over again with the spear in her hand till it was defeated, then used the spear to vault to the next opponent. Riku was impressed. The woman was fearless, fearless and ruthless. She could probably handle this on her own if she wanted to.

Lea was holding his own, too. Flames soon lit up the area as he hit Heartless after Heartless with his signature magic, finishing them off with lots of Fire Raids. The battle was going well, really, until an enormous Heartless Riku had never seen before emerged from the water.

"Lea, look out!" Riku lunged at Lea to try to get him out of the way in time, but it was too late. The Heartless swiped at him with its enormous claws, sending him flying off his Ketak and plunging into the water. Riku splashed to Lea's side, only for Kida to stop him.

"You deal with that, I will take care of him!" she shouted. Riku didn't argue. He froze the water around him and climbed on top of it, then launched wave after wave of powerful magic at their foe. This was followed up with a blurry of physical attacks. At some point Mickey found him and joined in. But this Heartless was fast, and by the time the two of them had finally subdued it, Riku had a few injuries of his own. Once they'd confirmed the area was clear, they made their way over to Kida and Lea.

"Riku, you are injured. Here, let me help." Kida waded through the water to him. She took the crystal around her neck and held it close to Riku's arm. Then she pressed her hand against the wound. Riku watched in fascination as a strange energy emanated from it and repaired the torn skin.

"So your crystals can heal injuries?" Riku asked, testing the arm to make sure everything was back to normal. Kida frowned and grabbed a hold of his wrist. She studied the bandage wrapped around it, including Kairi's drawing and message.

"This did not heal properly. Here, allow me—"

Riku pulled away from her and rubbed his wrist. It still gave him strange pains from time to time, but it didn't feel right to fix it. It was a testament to the lengths he'd gone to in order to save Sora, and he didn't want to lose the reminder. It was twisted, he knew, but it was his fault Sora had become a Heartless in the first place. He couldn't let something like that happen again. And it seemed disrespectful to Roxas to heal the injury like it had never happened.

Kida gave him a curious look. "You do not wish for it to be healed, do you?"

"No," Riku finally admitted.

"But surely a great warrior like yourself wants to be in top fighting form?"

"Did you hear that?" Lea said, a smirk forming on his face. "She thinks you're a great warrior."

Riku ignored Lea's commentary. "I do, but there's something I can't ever let myself forget. It's okay, I've gotten used to fighting like this."

"I understand." There was a deep sadness in Kida's eyes as she told them where they were going next. Riku wondered what tragedy had befallen her, then remembered that she was the last member of the royal family. Whatever it had been, it had taken her mother and father from her. Maybe even her brothers and sisters, too, if she'd had them. Riku couldn't help but be drawn to her. She was one of those rare people who just understood without having to be told, and the thought of saying goodbye was more painful than he was expecting.

But he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on fighting, just like he always did.

* * *

A/N: First of all, a big shoutout to my beta FlowerLady-Aerith for all of her help with this story, and a big thank you to all of my readers!

This story is the sequel to Dear Sora. It's looking like it'll be around 37-39 chapters with an overall word count of somewhere between 160,000-170,000 words.

Updates are every Friday unless otherwise noted in my author's notes, and I'm planning on having the entire story posted before KH3 comes out.

A few quick notes on content. This story is going to be darker than Dear Sora, and I will include a warning if a particular chapter has dark, heavy, or more violent material than the rest of the fic. Sora/Kairi is the main pairing, but there will be a couple of other pairings. If you're worried about one you don't like showing up, shoot me a PM and I'll let you know if it'll be in the story.

As always, thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2 - The Heart of Atlantis

Chapter 2 – The Heart of Atlantis

The next few days fell into a pattern. Riku, Mickey and Lea helped Kida whenever trouble arose. They kept using the crystals and Ketaks Kida and Milo had lent them, and the Atlantean guard was glad to have the extra help.

In return, Milo worked on the translations. He had little time during the day, but Riku noticed the dark circles that had formed under his eyes as time went on. Whether it was from late nights or concern for his wife's safety and the city's wellbeing, Riku didn't know. All they could do was protect Atlantis until they figured out what was going on with the Heartless.

"Someone's behind all this," Riku declared one night after a particularly grueling battle. He sank into a pile of ornate cushions in the corner and closed his eyes. His stomach rumbled, but the thought of trying to use Atlantis's complicated eating utensils again just made him even more tired.

"Just now figuring that out, are we?" Lea released his hair from its ponytail and raked a hand through it. He drug one of his cushions over to the low table in the middle of the room and plopped down on it, digging into the feast laid out for them.

Mickey joined him, eyeing the dish with brightly colored crustaceans with suspicion before settling on a purple fruit instead.

"Riku, arentcha hungry?" he asked.

"It's okay, no one here will judge you for eating with your hands." Lea popped one of the fruits into his mouth and swallowed. His messy eating was just like Sora's. Kairi used to scold Sora all the time about it, and he'd even nearly choked on a chicken bone once. Thanks to her intervention, it had ended up hitting Riku in the face instead of remaining lodged in Sora's throat. At the time, Riku had been annoyed by Sora's carelessness, but now it was a fond memory.

 _Sora, Kairi, I hope you're doing okay._ He sighed and stood, joining Mickey and Lea at the table.

"I think we should ask Kida to take us to the Heart of Atlantis," he said.

"That's what I've been saying for the last several days." Lea took a swig of his drink to wash down the latest bite. "Xehanort's probably sent one of his lackeys after it. Better if we get to it before they do."

Mickey frowned. "See, fellas, I get what you're saying, but I don't know that Kida and Milo trust us enough yet. They said they've been rebuilding, which means somethin' musta happened. If it really is the heart of their world, then they gotta keep it safe. We can't go in there without their permission."

Riku sighed. "I think it's more than just that. Remember what Kida said? The Heart of Atlantis is alive. It's built on the emotions of past rulers and has a consciousness of its own."

Something about Riku's words sent the wheels turning in Mickey's head. "Gosh, that's it! When you think about it, it's not all that different from what Kingdom Hearts is supposed to be."

Oh. Well, Xehanort's interest made a lot more sense. If the Heart of Atlantis really were like Kingdom Hearts, of course he would want to find it. Anything that might help him fulfill his twisted goals was fair game in his eyes. The three of them agreed to bring it up again with Kida and Milo. But before they could finish eating, Milo burst into their room. His hair was sticking up all over his head, his glasses askew. He panted for breath and clutched his chest.

"Riku, Lea, Mickey! You gotta come quick. The Heartless are in the palace!"

Exhausted though they were, they scrambled to their feet and followed him. Riku hardly glanced at the grand hall, the one surrounded by shallow pools filled with water lilies, as they passed through. Before the sight had made him marvel, but now there was no time for anything but their task at hand.

They reached the throne room. Just as Milo had said, the place was swarming with Heartless. Riku summoned his Keyblade. Hack, slash, boom. Over and over and over again. His muscles trembled and shook, pushed as they were beyond the limit. Sleep. He needed sleep. He'd gotten too little of it. The Heartless attacked at all hours of the night, and that meant he'd been woken up at all hours of the night for the last several days. His movements were slow, sluggish.

"Where's Kida?" Lea searched the place for her, but their usual ally was nowhere to be seen.

"She went to the Heart of Atlantis." Milo had grabbed one of her usual spears and was using it to stab at the Heartless. Riku had to give it to him. He packed more of a punch than his appearance would have let on. He was no Kida, but he was defending himself well enough. Maybe she'd trained him herself.

"She _what?!_ "

"I tried to stop her, but we didn't have much of a choice. If they reach it before she does, we could lose the whole city."

Riku grabbed Milo's shoulder. "Milo, take me there. Mickey, if you and Lea can handle this, we'll go make sure she's okay."

Mickey and Lea took a brief moment to nod before returning to fighting.

"If you say so," Milo said. "C'mon, follow me."

* * *

Milo led Riku into a mysterious cavern. The place was almost completely dark, illuminated only by an unearthly glow coming from above them. Giant stone masks surrounded a blue flame, pulsing and swirling with the very life of the city itself.

"Kida!" Milo's voice echoed across the cavern walls. Kida was locked in combat with two figures. One wielded a long blue shield, the other a familiar jagged navy and red blade with a blue eye embedded in the hilt. They all stood on top of the water, Kida because, well, she was Kida, and the other two because their patches of water were frozen solid.

"Milo! Hurry, the Heart—" Kida stopped. "Riku?" she asked, a look of confusion and relief warring on her face as she glanced between Riku and her opponent, who was also Riku.

"Shut up!" the Riku Replica shouted. "I'm the real Riku, not him!"

Riku summoned his Keyblade. "Kida, don't listen to him! That's not me! It's my Replica. Look at his eyes!"

Kida parried the Replica's blow with her staff. "They are golden! And so are this other man's!"

"Yes, exactly! Xehanort's taken them over!"

Great. Not only had Xehanort gotten his hands on Even, he'd also somehow found the Riku Replica. So his vision of his other self in the dream version of Pinocchio's world hadn't just been a fluke. How? How was that even possible? Riku wondered if this is how Sora felt when he saw Vanitas for the first time.

 _Guess we know who two more of the Seekers are. What are we up to now, eight? Nine?_

His Replica had seemed at peace when he'd last spoken to him, but after Xehanort's meddling, even that seemed to have changed. Riku had the feeling Even hadn't necessarily rejoined Xehanort's ranks willingly, either. His sudden disappearance, combined with his possessed reappearance here, with a replica in tow…

A replica. His specialty was creating replicas. What if Xehanort had found the Riku Replica's heart in the darkness and had made Even create a new body for it?

It was just a hunch, but if Even had made a new body for the Riku Replica, then that meant it should be possible for them to make new bodies for Roxas and Naminé.

"Who's Xeha— oh, never mind! Hang on, Kida, we're coming!" Milo stumbled across the rocks with Riku right behind him. Riku froze the water in front of them just in time for them both to go sliding across it. He charged at his Replica as Milo took on Even.

"You're inferior! I'm the one who deserves to exist, not you! I don't care if my heart is fake!" The Riku Replica bared his teeth and slashed at Riku. Riku parried the attack easily and retaliated with a rush of dark energy.

"If there's anything Sora's taught me—" Riku dodged the next attack, then got in one of his own— "it's that you're wrong. There's no reason we can't both exist. Your heart is as real as mine!"

His Replica ignored him and continued attacking. Riku sighed. The people Xehanort had taken over, they just didn't seem capable of listening to reason. It was like Xehanort had done something to their minds as well as their hearts. Or maybe that was simply the side effect of having someone else's heart shoved inside your own.

Then how had Sora managed to hold onto his sanity, let alone a unique identity? Over the years, he'd had far more hearts inside of him than anyone else ever had. And yet he was still so clearly himself, still so clearly Sora.

Maybe his willingness to shelter them was what made the difference. Yes, that had to be it. Xehanort didn't ask permission, and Sora always gave it.

Riku glanced at Milo. He was still fighting Even, all right, but the two of them were embroiled in a passionate debate about… Even's research? Riku couldn't believe his ears. There wasn't much physical attacking going on, but that was probably for the best. Riku caught snippets of their conversation as he continued to fight his Replica.

"So you're the little weasel who stole my research!" Even shouted, shooting a blurry of ice that Milo just barely avoided.

"I didn't steal it! Riku showed it to me! I thought he had permission to—"

"Absolutely not! And you call yourself a man of science!" Even huffed. He slammed his shield into Milo, which sent him flying. "Doesn't anyone care about ethics these days?"

Milo picked up his glasses from where they'd fallen on the ground and jammed them back on his face. "E-ethics? _Ethics?_ You were researching how to use machines to create artificial humans! And not only that, you went and did it! You made copies of people without asking for their permission! Don't you talk to me about ethics!"

Riku glanced at Kida. She'd taken the distraction he and Milo provided to get close to the Heart of Atlantis. Sensing the threat close at hand, blue lights from within it scanned the area and settled on her. Her eyes glowed, the crystal on her neck drawn to the Heart of Atlantis.

"Riku, don't let her go into the light!" Even cast a Blizzard spell that hit her leg, freezing her in place. Milo punched Even in the face, and they both went sprawling.

Kida's staff clattered to the ground, and the Riku Replica took his window of opportunity. Riku grabbed him, but not before he sent a ball of dark energy hurtling towards her, colliding with her crystal full force. The darkness spread throughout the crystal, tainting it and turning it pitch black. First the searchlights turned black, then the eyes and mouths of the masks above them, then all of their crystals.

Milo looked from his crystal to the Heart of Atlantis. "The darkness is corrupting the crystals! Hurry, take them off before they—"

It was too late. The darkness had reached the Heart of Atlantis, snaking its inky tendrils into the blue flame. Kida yanked the crystal off her neck and tried to destroy it, but it was no good. The masks, animated by some unearthly power, slowly rotated towards them. Riku didn't like the way their dark eyes gazed ominously down at them.

"Good work, Riku. Our work here is done," Even said. "We can come back later, when things are less messy."

The Riku Replica smirked and summoned a Corridor of Darkness. He and Even disappeared through it before Riku could stop them. It was just as well; their number one priority now was to save the Heart of Atlantis, if it could be done. The bad news was that Even and the Replica had left a swarm of Heartless in their wake.

There was a wild look in Kida's eyes as she caught several Heartless with her staff. "We could use the Ketaks, but I do not know if they will work, now that the crystals are corrupted!"

The corruption was spreading. Soon it would take over the whole Heart. They had to think of something, and fast.

"Riku, quick! Do you know any magic that lets you fly?" Milo asked, knocking a Heartless away with a rock.

"A lot of good that's going to do when we don't know even how to stop the corruption!"

The masks shot out beams of dark magic. They were split up, the whole cavern a veritable minefield as they dodged ray after ray of darkness on top of the swarms of attacking Heartless. Riku could handle the Heartless, but the heart of a world becoming corrupt? He didn't know what to do.

 _Kairi, I wish you were here right now. You could put a stop to this in seconds flat, if what you did to Vanitas is any sign._

A group of Heartless swooped in on Milo all at once. Kida rushed to defend him. Riku attempted a dark barrier that might help protect the Heart a little longer when—

BOOM. Light filled the cavern and reflected off the walls. Riku shielded his face as it obliterated the Heartless and engulfed the masks and the Heart in its warm glow. When he could see again, the eyes and mouths of the masks were back to their usual blue, as were the searchlights. The darkness inside the crystals shrank away until it was no more.

"Thought you fellas could use a hand," Mickey said, lowering his Keyblade. Kida and Milo stared at him, mouths agape. "Riku, would ya mind showing Lea how to seal a world? I think Kida can take care of the rest of the Heartless from here."

Riku nodded. Milo recovered from his shock enough to hand Kida her crystal, and they all watched in awe as she floated to the Heart of Atlantis. The masks moved aside for her, and the blue flame enveloped her in its fiery glow. Riku stared, transfixed, as she transformed into a living crystal. He'd never seen something so beautiful, so mesmerizing. She floated back down to them in a strange, spellbinding dance, and Riku swallowed. He'd known what she could become, but it was one thing to know and another altogether to actually see.

She took Milo by the hand, and together they flew back towards the city. Mickey summoned his Ketak and followed after them. Their departure had revealed the location of the Keyhole, floating in place of where the Heart had been. Riku showed Lea what to do, and together they sealed it, ensuring the safety of Atlantis at last. Afterwards, Lea cracked a grin, a gesture that made Riku raised his eyebrow.

"What? Feels good, being a hero," Lea said.

"Yeah." Riku cleared his throat, his gazing lowering to his shoes. "Look, Lea, I really am sorry about what I did to Roxas."

Lea let his Keyblade disappear. "I know. You were just trying to help Sora. I get it. I would have done the same for Roxas."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it okay. If it had been up to Sora, he would've—"

Lea laughed. "Well, you aren't Sora, and neither am I. But you know what?"

"What?"

"Someone we both care about a lot once told me something. She said you can't change the past, but the future's still open. It's something I've tried to live by, ever since. It's actually worked out pretty well so far."

Riku smiled. "Yeah, I bet. Those are wise words to live by."

Together, they left the cavern. Something had changed between the two of them. They weren't quite friends, but they weren't at odds anymore, either. As they watched Kida summon the city's guardians to put an end to the Heartless threat once and for all, Riku put his finger on what it was. Not friendship, perhaps not even liking; but a small, fledgling sense of trust.

* * *

"Are you sure you cannot stay?" Kida asked. She and Milo were garbed in their royal attire once more for Riku, Mickey, and Lea's send-off. Their royal hosts had already thrown a large celebration party on top of a ceremony for them, and Riku felt if they stayed any longer they would just be encroaching on their hospitality.

"Sorry, Kida, but we've gotta help our other friends," Mickey said.

"I understand." She turned to Milo, who handed them several tightly bound books filled with meticulously written pages. Had it really only taken him a couple of weeks? The sheer volume of the material was downright impressive. Riku told him as much, and Milo sniffed and puffed his chest out.

Kida rolled her eyes and laughed, shoving Milo playfully. "Don't let it go to your head, Milo."

He grinned and whispered something in her ear, earning another playful nudge. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Those are the translations. I gotta say, there was some stuff in there that was downright fascinating. The tech required is way beyond what even Atlantis has right now. I never would've imagined that machines could create human bodies! I hope you don't mind that I took some notes for myself."

"Not at all," Riku said. "You've earned it."

Milo nodded, then his expression turned serious. "You… you won't use the research like Even did, will you?"

Lea shook his head. "Nope. We're just trying to save our friends, and we think this research can help. They lost their bodies and need new ones."

Milo breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, phew. Then I wish you the best of luck. But I _am_ wondering how people can lose their bodies and still live."

Riku, Mickey, and Lea exchanged glances. "It's a long story," Mickey said.

"Well, you'll just have to come back and tell it sometime, then." Milo turned to Kida, and she smiled and addressed them.

"You are welcome back any time. Please come visit us again." They were about to return their crystals when she shook her head. "No. We want you to keep them. They will guide you back to us, in case you ever need our assistance. We owe you a great debt."

"And besides, we might need your help again someday," Milo added. A knowing expression crossed his features. "And if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to read more research from your world."

Busted. The three of them exchanged guilty looks as Milo nudged Kida. "See Kida? What'd I tell you?"

"Yes Milo, I know. Their clothes are strange and their technology surpasses ours. It was not difficult to put things together from there."

"Well, you're wrong about one thing. We're not just from another world, we're from three different worlds," Lea said. Their eyes went as wide as saucers at this information.

"Three?" Milo asked. He adjusted his glasses and peered at Lea, as if to make sure he'd heard him correctly.

"And our worlds aren't the only ones. There're a lot more," Riku added. No point in keeping it a secret anymore, after all.

Milo was practically bouncing off the walls. "D-did you hear that, Kida? Maybe my days of exploring aren't over after all!" He picked her up and swung her around. She laughed and planted a peck on his cheek before turning back to their guests one last time.

"Don't worry about him, he always gets like this when he is excited. Like a child in a sweets shop." She gave him another kiss, and together they talked about all the places they could go, the things they could see and do.

Riku, Mickey and Lea promised to visit again and bring more research for Milo to look at. But at last it was time to say goodbye. Lea climbed into the Gummi Ship, and the other two followed him. As the doors closed, Riku waved goodbye to Kida one last time. When he turned to Mickey and Lea, he couldn't help but voice his concern.

"What happens if they figure out a way to get to other worlds?"

Such travel was usually reserved for Keyblade wielders, and he wasn't sure how he felt about normal people doing it. Kida was an incredible fighter, and Milo wasn't bad himself, but the only surefire way they could protect themselves was if they had Keyblades of their own.

"Well, if anyone does figure out how to get to other worlds without a Keyblade or a Gummi Ship, I think I'd want Milo and Kida to be the first," Mickey said. "We could use more people like them helpin' out."

"Yeah." People who were kind and good, not because they had to be, but because they wanted to be. Because it was the right thing to do. They reminded him of Sora and Kairi in a way. It was what had drawn Riku to his friends in the first place, and he was determined to protect that goodness, no matter what. It was his duty to protect it, to protect them.

But such thoughts could wait till later. They finally had Even's research in their hands, and it was time to take it to Disney Castle. Ansem the Wise awaited them. And so did the hearts of the two people who were depending on them to succeed.

* * *

A/N: And with that we conclude the Atlantis arc!

Riku's memory of Sora choking on a bone was inspired by the Motion Reference Materials in one of the Kingdom Hearts Ultimanias. The scene never made it into the games, but I thought it really captured the dynamic between Sora, Riku, and Kairi nicely, so I wanted to include a reference to it.

Since we don't know the identities of a good chunk of the Seekers of Darkness, I'm having to do a lot of guesswork for this story. It'll be interesting to see who they actually turn out to be, but I thought it was suspicious that Even was said to be in unstable condition during DDD, so I ran with it.

As always, thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3 - The Keyblade Graveyard

Chapter 3 – The Keyblade Graveyard

The Keyblade Graveyard was exactly the kind of place Kairi thought it would be. In every direction, there was nothing but red-brown earth, the dust from it swept up by the wind into cloudy gusts that clogged her nose and throat and made her eyes water. Every now and then, they passed a jutting outcrop or a dried ravine as they continued on towards the cliffs in the distance.

She glanced at Sora. There was a natural elegance and grace to the way he carried himself, something that had become especially apparent after fighting beside him. His hood was pulled up over his spiky brown hair in an attempt to protect his neck from the hot sun. When she reached for his hand, he twined their fingers together and smiled.

He wasn't her only companion. To her right walked Donald and Goofy, and before her strode Aqua, the leader of their little group.

For Aqua, this place no doubt held bitter memories. It was where her friend Ventus had fallen into a deep sleep, and where Terra had lost control of his heart and body. While the former had been saved and was currently training with Merlin to regain his strength, the latter was still held prisoner by Xehanort. It was for him that they had come today. Kairi hoped they would find something, anything here that would help him.

Presently, they reached the area that had given the Keyblade Graveyard its name. Countless Keyblades were stuck upright in the barren soil, silent memorials to their deceased owners. A shudder ran down Kairi's spine at the sight of them. The suffering and death in this place was palpable, testament to the horrific conflict that had taken place here so long ago. She walked closer to Sora, holding tightly to his hand. Until they passed a pair of Keyblades that made her stop in her tracks, that is.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked. She knelt down next to the blades, running her hand across the rusted metal. They were both blue with lightning bolt designs.

"Aqua Shock and Aqua Strike." She looked up at Sora, her eyes watering. "I read about them in one of Merlin's books. The wielders were twins."

Sora's face fell. It was easy to lose sight of the fact that each of these Keyblades had once belonged to someone, someone with hopes and dreams and a future until the life had been snuffed out of them. Kairi was grateful that Merlin had made her read his stuffy encyclopedia if it meant the people who had died here wouldn't be forgotten. But she also dreaded running across any more Keyblades she might recognize.

They continued on, searching for where Terra and Xehanort had clashed.

"Hold on, this place looks familiar," Sora said. They'd reached an open area surrounded by rocky crags.

"You didn't notice before?" Donald gave Sora a very unimpressed look, and Sora pouted.

"I thought it was just my imagination!"

"I've got the feelin' we've been here before, too," Goofy said.

Aqua stopped and turned around to face them. "You have? When? What did you see?"

Sora, Donald and Goofy all turned to each other, the same thousand yard stares in their eyes.

"This portal opened up inside the King's castle."

"We went through to see what would happen."

"It brought us here, and then this suit of armor attacked us out of nowhere. It thought I was Xehanort," Sora muttered, still bitter about the comparison.

"A suit of armor?! What did it look like?" Aqua demanded.

Goofy rubbed his chin. "Well, it was red and gold."

"Yeah, and it had a Keyblade." Sora's eyes went wide as he followed the implications to their logical conclusion. "Wait, was that Terra?!"

"Wak!"

"He did mention Aqua and Ventus," Goofy pointed out. "And he had a pretty big grudge against Xehanort."

"Where? Where did you see him?" Aqua put her hands on Sora's shoulders and searched his eyes for answers.

"It was around here," Sora replied.

She asked what happened, and Goofy and Donald explained that after the battle, the mysterious suit of armor had finally left them alone and knelt to the ground.

"Maybe he's still here," Kairi suggested. The possibility was both exciting and troubling, and they all took a moment to prepare for a potential fight. Aqua donned her armor, and everyone else summoned their weapons. They searched the area, but nothing. They were about to move on to another area when a taunting voice interrupted them.

"Looking for someone?" Their little party whirled around to face the person who had addressed them.

"Luxord?!" Sora exclaimed, shocked at his sudden reappearance. The last time he'd seen him, he'd disappeared, and at Sora's hand. Yet here he was, holding a deck of cards in his hands, casually shuffling the cards from one hand to another.

"Sora, look! His eyes!" Kairi pointed to them. Sure enough, they were a sickly yellow. And he wasn't alone. A boy clad in red and black armor stood beside him, his spiky black hair and golden eyes a dark mirror of Sora's. Next to him was Xigbar, wearing the same eye patch as always.

Sora shielded Kairi with his body, and Donald and Goofy raced towards Luxord. He threw a card at them, but they dodged it neatly and retaliated. The deck in his hands scattered, cards going every which way.

Aqua went after Xigbar. She shot a blast of powerful magic towards him, which he dodged by warping away. He fired round after round of shots after her. She avoided them by chaining together a series of cartwheels. Kairi and Sora joined together to attack Vanitas, but he teleported so rapidly that it was difficult to keep track of where he was.

It was absolute chaos, and in the mayhem Kairi didn't notice the card Luxord threw at her till it was too late. She was trapped inside whatever shadowy realm his cards sent his opponents to. And she wasn't alone. Creepy laughter in a distorted version of Sora's voice was right there beside her.

"Hello, Kairi. Long time no see."

"What do you want from me?" Kairi demanded. "I defeated you once, and I can do it again." She gathered her energy for a white magic attack.

Vanitas clicked his tongue. "Don't you know what happens when a pure light and a pure darkness clash?"

"I'm not too worried. The last time we fought, I won."

"That's because I wasn't trying to make an χ-blade. This time, things are different."

This made Kairi pause. "What do you mean?"

"Xehanort said I could do whatever it takes to capture you." Vanitas smiled as the implications sank in. "If that means the two of us form an χ-blade, then I guess that's just too bad. I'm sure Xehanort can turn us back into ourselves when the time is right."

 _Is he lying? He has to be lying! If I can't use white magic, then how can I win? That was the key to me defeating him last time! But I don't want to make a version of the χ-blade. I can't let myself be turned into that!  
_

It was too big a risk. Clashing at all was risky, but if what he said were true, using her light against his darkness was guaranteed to result in her capture.

Great. She was screwed if she fought, and she was screwed if she didn't. Vanitas rushed at her. She put up a protective barrier. That didn't count as clashing, right? His attack bounced off her barrier, but she didn't take the window to get a hit in on him.

"Not going to fight back? What, are you scared?"

 _Ignore him. Look for a way out. If I really am inside a card, the others will be looking for a way to free me. Buy them time._

Yes, that was it. Maybe… try getting him to talk? About what, though? He'd use anything she said about Sora against her. Xehanort didn't seem like a good idea, either.

But what about Ventus? She'd heard Ven's side of the story, maybe it was time she asked Vanitas for his. Ven despised Vanitas, and maybe that went both ways. What was the most inflammatory thing she could say?

"You know, you and Ventus aren't so different."

He charged, and she had no choice but to parry his attack. "Don't compare me to that useless weakling!" He teleported behind her. Her barrier was up again just in time. Kairi felt a surge of triumph. She'd finally found Vanitas's weak spot.

"Why not? He's your other half."

"The weaker half!" She blocked his next attack with ease. He was getting emotional, and that meant his fighting was becoming haphazard and reckless.

"I don't know about that. He shattered his own heart to stop you. I wouldn't call that weak at all."

"Shut up!" His eyes were blazing. Kairi wondered how much further she should push him. He was teetering on the edge of madness, and she didn't know what might happen if he went over the brink.

"Why do you hate him so much?" It was an honest question, really. She could understand why Ven hated Vanitas, but she didn't see why Vanitas hated Ven. Being "weak" seemed like a poor reason. There had to be something else, something deeper.

All the same, it came as a surprise when he answered honestly. "Because he—he got everything that should have been mine!"

"You're jealous." It was true. She knew it as soon as the words left her mouth. The look of shock and then anger on his face only confirmed it.

"No! I—"

"You said it yourself. He got all the things you wanted. A home. A family. Love."

"Shut up!"

Kairi had him, and she knew it. He was going berserk. She waited, barrier up, for him to calm down or one of her friends to release them from the card.

Oops. He got her, in the second between one barrier ended and the next would have been put up. She went flying. He hit her again while she was still in the air, over and over and over. She fell to the ground with a painful crash.

When she struggled to stand, he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. She raised her Keyblade, but dark orbs caught Vanitas right in the face before she could retaliate.

"Riku?"

"Are you so sure about that?" Vanitas smiled, and Kairi knew something was terribly wrong.

"Sora?" A deep sense of dread welled up within her. She slowly turned around, fearing the worst. The creature that stood before her was no longer Sora. Dark wisps drifted off of his inky black form, and his yellow eyes bored into her.

She stared back in horror and confusion. She hadn't seen him like this since he'd come to rescue her. His Heartless had been a small shadow then. Now it was human size, and shaped just like him.

 _Does that mean… the darkness in his heart is_ growing?

Before she could say anything else, the creature took a flying leap at Vanitas. Kairi stared as it tore at Vanitas's skin, its claws leaving awful gashes that made Vanitas cry out.

That flash of anger in Sora's eyes, when they'd talked about Vanitas before – she'd avoided pressing him about it, thinking it was the right thing to do. But now, she realized her mistake. He must've stuffed, stuffed, stuffed his feelings down until they'd transformed him into the monster before her now.

"Sora, stop!" Kairi cried. "This isn't you!" Then she put a hand over her mouth. She was wrong. This was him. He would do anything to protect her, and he'd simply been pushed past his limit. "Sora, we can't fight him like this! It's wrong!"

He ignored her, and with each one of Vanitas's pained cries, she worried more and more for Vanitas's life and Sora's sanity. Vanitas was a skilled Keyblade wielder, but Sora had lost all restraint. He'd transformed into a vicious monster, and Vanitas had no chance of stopping him. It was up to Kairi to do it. She had to be quick. As horrible as Vanitas had been, it didn't feel right for Sora to destroy him like this.

 _I can't use the light. I'll hurt Vanitas even more._

She did the only thing she could think to do. She used an Aero spell to gather enough momentum, then sent herself flying. She crashed into Vanitas and wrapped her arms tightly around him as they tumbled out of the way. Sora couldn't be reasoned with right now, and the last thing she wanted was for him to accidentally hurt her in this state. He really wouldn't forgive himself if he did.

She put a barrier around them that would keep Sora out for the time being and turned to Vanitas. A look of pure shock and confusion was in his eyes, his mouth hanging wide open. Blood oozed out of the wounds Sora had made, and she attended to the worst looking ones first. They disappeared, one by one, as she used her magic to heal him.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. "I'm your enemy."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not doing this for you."

A dark shadow came over Vanitas's expression. "I could kill you right now."

"Yes, but Sora would get you immediately afterwards." As if on cue, Sora slammed into the barrier. Kairi recast it, just to make sure it would hold. She gave him a sad look and then sighed, turning back to Vanitas. "Now shut up and hold still." She tilted his chin to get at the claw marks on his neck. He shuddered at her touch, jerking away from her hand.

"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you." She turned his cheek to get at the gashes there, and this time he held still. She was struck by the vulnerable look in his eyes. This was a very different Vanitas from the one she'd first fought. He was like a scared, lost child. Kairi wondered if, after his separation from Ven, anyone had ever shown him love and affection. If Xehanort had raised him, she highly doubted it.

A shudder ran down her spine. _Am I actually feeling sorry for him?_ But she couldn't help herself. Maybe he wouldn't have turned into such a psycho if anyone had bothered to teach him otherwise. He was half of what Ven used to be, right? And Ven was so kind and good. He'd protected Sora and helped him become the person he was today. There had to be some of that still left inside of Vanitas.

When she finished, she let the barrier down and stood. It was back in place at once. She needed to calm Sora down before she finished dealing with Vanitas. He was tearing at himself now. With an awful sinking feeling, she realized his grunts would have been screams if he'd been able to make them.

"Sora," she said softly, taking a step towards him. He turned and ran away on all fours. She used the magic Aqua had been practicing with her to stop his progress. He screeched, but before he could try to run again, she tackled him and wrapped him in her embrace. "Come back to me," she whispered. She didn't care what he'd become. He was, and always would be, Sora.

There was a bright flash of light, and the cold, dark creature in her arms transformed back into his rightful state.

"Kairi, I'm sorry," he choked out. "I could've hurt you— I didn't mean to—"

"I know. That's why I stopped you." She leaned against his shoulder. The frenzied pounding of his heart beat against her cheek, and she willed him to calm down. His arms wrapped around her, and she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Thank you," he whispered.

* * *

Vanitas watched the scene before him unfold in confusion. First, Kairi had stopped Sora from hurting him. Then, she'd healed him and transformed Sora back into a human. What was going through her head? Whose side was she on? He didn't understand. All he could do was stare as they embraced.

He touched his cheek. No one had ever touched him like she had. Not since his separation from Ventus. The only physical contact he'd had since then had all come at the hands of people trying to kill him. What would it be like, to hug someone the way Sora and Kairi were hugging each other now? To hold someone in his arms, her body pressed against his, because she wanted to be there?

It should be him. He should be the one holding her. Once again, he was being denied what was rightfully his. Anger surged from deep within him, creating a whole new wave of Unversed. He sprung to his feet and charged.

This time, it was Sora who looked at him with pity. Kairi's eyes were ablaze as she cast a barrier protecting the two of them. Her body shielded his, her arms stretched out wide.

"If you so much as lay a finger on Sora again, I'll end you myself!" she spat. "I haven't forgotten what you did to him!"

Vanitas halted. An unpleasant sensation filled his heart, one that he had experienced only a few times before. He didn't like his odds against fighting Kairi and Sora together. Not when she was this angry.

"Kairi," Sora said softly. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"He threw it in my face! He bragged about hurting you!"

"I know."

"And now he's attacking us after I stopped you from destroying him! After I healed him! I thought there might still be good in him, but—"

She let the barrier down. Vanitas braced himself for her attack, but Sora had his arms around her waist before she could.

"Let go of me!" she cried, struggling fiercely against him. He winced but held steady.

"Don't get me wrong. We're still gonna deal with him. We're just gonna do it together."

Not good not good not good.

"But he said… if I fight him, we could make the χ-blade—"

"Good thing I'm here too, then. C'mon, Kairi, like we practiced." Sora grabbed her hand and transformed. A surge of energy traveled down his clothes, turning them purple with dark violet waves. Together, he and Kairi charged. His fighting style had changed, all of his attacks incorporating light.

As bright orbs hit the Unversed from either side, Vanitas knew he should run. But he couldn't help but be drawn to the light, to what he lacked. Kairi and Sora fought together in an enrapturing dance, like they were two halves of the same person. Sora sent her flying, and she got a hit on the nearest Unversed before pushing off with her feet, flipping through the air, and landing in his arms.

With each Unversed they destroyed, Vanitas felt a sharp pain in his heart. He defended himself well enough, but as they plowed through wave after wave of his Unversed, he knew it was only a matter of time before they wore him out and defeated him. He stopped summoning the Unversed. Less pain for him that way, but now it meant they would attack him directly.

Sure enough, they joined together for one final attack. Vanitas teleported all around the area, but he suspected it was one of those attacks that would catch everything nearby in its wake.

But then something happened. The realm they were in shattered, throwing them back into the Keyblade Graveyard.

"There you are!" Donald said. He lowered his staff, which had previously been pointed at the card in his hand. Goofy was still locked in combat with Xigbar, and Aqua stood above Luxord, her Keyblade mere inches away from his face.

He chuckled. "You have quite a lot of fight in you. I like that in a woman. But that isn't why we're here."

"Then why are you here?" Sora demanded.

"There's something Xehanort's been searching for."

"And what would that be?"

Luxord pointed behind them. "There." A hulking suit of armor had appeared. It stood, ripping its Keyblade from the ground and moving into a battle stance. Sora's face went pale at the sight of it.

"My apologies," Luxord continued, "but I had to use you as the bait."

Aqua tore off her helmet, her eyes wide. "Terra?"


	4. Chapter 4 - Lingering Sentiment

Chapter 4 – Lingering Sentiment

Sora and Kairi blocked Luxord's path, trying to buy Aqua some time. Vanitas had disappeared from the battlefield, and Donald and Goofy were still fighting Xigbar.

The armor spoke. Its voice was ghastly and metallic, and Kairi shuddered at the sound of it. Could that thing really be what was left of Terra?

"Aqua…"

"It really is you!"

The armor shifted its gaze from her to their general direction. "Xehanort…"

"Kairi!" Sora grabbed her and vaulted out of the way. They landed nearby, whirling around to get a better look at what was happening. Sure enough, Terra's armor had attacked Luxord. It quickly became clear that Luxord on his own was no match for Terra's hatred-fueled rage. The man did the sensible thing and retreated, disappearing into a cloud of swirling darkness. Xigbar followed soon afterwards.

"Terra?" Aqua asked again when the dust had cleared, her voice unsteady. She approached him slowly, cautiously. He looked towards Sora and Kairi, and Sora flinched and grabbed a hold of Kairi again, speeding them even further away. She put a barrier up in case Terra decided to attack.

"Aqua, tell him we're not here to fight him!" Sora said.

"Terra, listen! Those are my friends! Sora saved Ven, and Kairi—"

"Ven? Where's… Ven?"

Aqua faltered. "He – he's not here. He's training, back on Radiant Garden."

"Is he safe? Are you?"

"Yes." She took a halting step towards him. When he didn't react, she reached a tentative hand to his face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. The armor shifted again, and Sora and Kairi feared the worst. But he surprised them all by wrapping his arms around Aqua instead.

"T-Terra?"

"Don't apologize. What happened is my fault. Aqua, I swear to you and Ven, I will make this right."

She hesitated a moment, then hugged him back. "I know you will, but we want to help. Do you know where your heart and body are?"

"Still under Xehanort's control."

Aqua's grip around him tightened. "Do you know where he is?"

"Coming… He's coming." Aqua pulled away and stared up at him. Donald and Goofy exchanged nervous glances, and Sora grabbed a hold of Kairi's hand. "My body and heart are with him—how? He wanted to keep them away from you—he was worried seeing you again would make him lose control over me—"

Luxord returned, and this time he had even more company. Six hooded figures were with him. Kairi and Sora summoned their Keyblades, and Donald and Goofy held their weapons at the ready. This wasn't going to be an easy fight. Each of these people would be difficult enough as it was one on one.

But then Terra appeared, and Xehanort right after him. Ansem and Xemnas were with him, and they grabbed Terra and held him hostage. He struggled viciously against them, but it was as pointless as if he really were fighting two versions of himself at the same time.

"Terra!" Aqua cried. His eyes were still golden and his hair silver, but at the sound of her voice, he looked right at her.

"Aqua! Get out of here! You're outnumbered!" He winced, as if the very act of speaking was painful.

"No, I won't! I won't abandon you, not again!" She charged, the hulking suit of armor right behind her. Sora and Kairi took one look at the way the armor mowed everything down in its path and plunged in after her.

 _We have to save Terra. We just have to._ They didn't have any kind of plan, and in the back of Kairi's mind she knew this was a bad idea. But what else could they do? Their mission was to save Terra, and how could they do that if they ran away?

"Uh, guys?" Goofy said. "Maybe we oughta—"

Donald shouted and joined the fray. The whole place transformed into a frenzied battlefield. Kairi lost track of where Sora was as she parried attack after attack, trying to get in a few of her own. Her white magic was her only advantage, and she used it as much as she could. But she couldn't keep up this frenetic pace forever. She would tire, sooner or later.

"Kairi!" Aqua grabbed her hand. Kairi lent her her remaining white magic, and with her help Aqua created her most powerful chains yet. They wound around all their enemies in the vicinity except for Xehanort, who was still fighting Terra's armor. Aqua struggled to keep their enemies bound, her arms trembling from the exertion.

"Take him! Take him and go!" Aqua shouted.

"No, we won't leave you!" Sora and Donald joined together to cast a round of powerful Sleep spells that knocked their foes out cold. Except for Xehanort. Geez, was the man immune to everything? Kairi kicked off Goofy's shield and attacked one of the hooded figures. Unconscious or not, the more damage they did, the better—

Xehanort landed a heavy blow on Aqua. She staggered to the ground, her chains shattering.

"That's enough!" There was a loud crash, and everyone turned to look. Terra was recombining with his armor at long last. His golden eyes blazed with fury for a brief moment, then his helmet snapped into place. He held his Keyblade in one hand and summoned Xehanort's in the other.

In that moment, Kairi understood why Sora had been so terrified of him. He was not the sort of person you ever wanted to make angry. He used the same golden chains Aqua had to create a barrier, sealing himself, along with Xehanort and the rest of his Seekers, away.

"Still you resist me!" Xehanort shouted. "You fool!" He sent a dark wave of energy at Terra, who blocked it and clutched his head.

"Aqua, I can't – I can't come with you. Not till he's completely gone from my heart. You have to leave, I can't hold him off much longer—"

Aqua dragged herself off the ground and slammed her fists against the barrier. "Sora, hurry! Connect to his heart!"

Sora didn't hesitate. A surge of warmth pulsed through Kairi as Sora's heart came into contact with hers. Aqua's heart was connected next, and thoughts of Terra filled Kairi's mind. The flood of memories gave her an idea of the sort of person he was when he wasn't in his current rage-fueled state. Or at least, how Aqua saw him.

There was an unmistakable feeling that tinted all of her memories of him, one that Kairi had already begun to suspect after today's battle and Aqua's stories of her life growing up. Whether Aqua recognized it for what it was, she didn't know; but Sora used it as a guide as his heart searched for Terra's.

When he finally found it, Aqua gasped. The darkness shrouding it was nearly impenetrable, and its sickly tendrils traveled down the links Sora had created and wrapped slimy fingers around their hearts. Kairi swallowed, knowing what she had to do next. Time was of the essence; if she took too long, Sora would have no choice but to break the connection in order to protect them.

She thought of Sora and focused on her feelings for him. His heart responded in turn, and the light from her heart traveled across the links and reached Terra's, driving away enough of the darkness to create a window.

It wasn't enough. They needed more light. They needed more time.

They were interrupted. _"What's this? My oh my, what a useful ability you've gained, Sora. Mind if I see how it works?"  
_

A blast of darkness came careening their way, targeting not their bodies but their hearts and minds. Kairi was completely unprepared for the attack, but she soon realized who its target was. She counteracted as quickly as she could, but the darkness was powerful indeed.

She turned to glare at who she knew the source was. "You Leave Sora alone!" But Xehanort was relentless and paid no attention to her words.

 _I can't hold out much longer._ "Sora, break the connection!"

If he didn't, Xehanort might try to—

"Terra—"

Terra was struggling to hold Xehanort and the others back, and it was taking all of his strength.

"Aqua, I'm sorry, I can't—"

"Terra! We'll save you, I promise!"

That would have been the ideal moment to dissolve the connection. But Sora hadn't said anything. His eyes were wide and unfocused, and his breath came in shallow gasps. She put a hand on his arm and he didn't even react.

 _You can save Terra,_ Xehanort said.

 _How? Tell me how! What do I have to do?_ Sora's voice was in her mind, clear as if he was speaking out loud.

 _You already know. Your heart understands, even if your mind does not._

"Sora! Stop! We need to keep you safe!" Aqua waved her hand in front of his face, the panic in her voice rising.

"Sora, break the connection!" Kairi grabbed his shoulders. "I can't – I can't hold Xehanort off—"

For the briefest moment, there was a strange look in his eyes. Then he focused on her and it went away.

"Xehanort, that's enough!" He echoed Terra's words from earlier, and light burst forth from his heart long enough to hold the darkness back as he broke the connection. "C'mon, we've gotta get out of here!" he shouted. Soon he and Kairi were whizzing away, moving so quickly it was making Kairi dizzy. Donald and Goofy were following after them, but Aqua still remained.

"Sora, wait!" Kairi warned. He stopped and turned back, finally noticing Aqua wasn't right behind them. Donald and Goofy kept going at his insistence.

"Terra, I'm sorry!" Aqua cried.

"Just go, Aqua! Soon, I'll be free! I'll come back to you and Ven, I promise!"

Aqua finally joined them. Together they retreated to the Gummi Ship, Sora carrying Kairi along in rapid, graceful movements to save time, and Aqua teleporting from one area to the next.

When they were safely inside, Sora nodded at Donald, who sat in the pilot's chair and started up the engines.

"He was so close," Aqua whispered, taking out her Wayfinder. Her fingers closed around it, knuckles turning white and lower lip trembling as she fought back the tears. Sora hung his head. After everything they'd been through, he needed comforting just as much as Aqua did, but that would have to wait until later. For now, Kairi pulled Aqua into a hug, grateful when she noticed Goofy putting an arm on Sora's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. If I'd been stronger, I could've banished all the darkness from his heart," Kairi whispered. If she'd had more time, maybe she could've—

Aqua hugged her back. "It's not your fault. You did everything you could to help. It was reckless of me to make you stay as long as we did. We should have left the first time Terra told us to. I'm sorry, Kairi."

"It's okay. I understand. If that had been Sora, I would've done the same thing." His gaze met hers for a moment, and then he looked away. Okay, he really needed comforting. He was doing that thing where he pretended he was fine when he really wasn't. He'd gotten slightly better at it, but he was failing right now, and that meant something was very, very wrong.

His voice was low when he spoke. "Aqua, we'll save him, no matter what." There was a determined glint in his eyes, and his fists clenched at his sides. "Xehanort's had him long enough."

"Yeah!" Donald and Goofy said.

Aqua wiped the tears out of her eyes. "Thank you. You're all so sweet. You barely even know Terra, and yet—"

"That's what friends do, Aqua. You're our friend, so of course we'll help you get Terra back," Sora said. "What I told you before hasn't changed. I want you and Terra and Ven to all be together again. I'll find a way to make it happen, some way, somehow. I promise."

She hugged him, and he staggered backwards. Then his expression softened and he hugged her back. Kairi felt a smile tugging the corners of her mouth. He still wasn't used to surprise hugs, not even after all this time.

"We all will," Aqua finally said, pulling away to smile at him. "All of us working together will figure out how to save him. I just know it."

He attempted a smile back. "Yeah. Together, we can do anything."

"And besides," Goofy said, "I think Terra's real close to breakin' free of Xehanort himself. I bet if we give it a little more time, the next time we try to rescue him, we just might succeed."

"Yeah! You shoulda seen his face when he joined with his armor! I wouldn't want to be Xehanort right now," Donald said. That got a weak laugh out of everyone. Terra really was, well, terrifying when he was angry.

They were approaching the Warp Hole, and Donald turned his attention back to driving. Sora disappeared below deck, and Kairi fiddled with her necklace, trying to decide if she should follow after him or give him his space.

Aqua placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go talk to him," she whispered. "We've got things under control up here."

* * *

Sora was sitting by the big circular window below deck when she found him, gazing out at the stars. She placed a blanket on his shoulders, then grabbed a blanket of her own and climbed up onto the windowsill across from him. If he wanted to talk, he would. What was important was that she was here for him.

"Sorry about today," he said at length, pulling the blanket closer. "I hadn't transformed into that… that _form_ in ages. But all it took was seeing Vanitas attack you to—"

"It's okay. You just wanted to keep me safe. I know you weren't trying to hurt me."

"Yeah, but I could have."

"Which is why I thought of an excellent strategy to keep that from happening." She cracked a grin and nudged his shoe with her toes. "C'mon, you've gotta give me some credit for that."

"Yeah, you were great." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Do you… do you think we might be able to help Vanitas? There for a moment, I thought that maybe…"

He leaned back against the windowsill and sighed. "It's hard to say. Sometimes, I wonder about him and the other Seekers. But Xehanort's hold on their hearts seems too strong. I wonder… I wonder what it would take to break it."

Kairi fiddled with her necklace, pursing her lips. "Well, we have to figure something out for Terra at least." She sighed. "We were so close to saving him today."

"I know, but we didn't. All because I—I failed." He hung his head, and even his spiky hair seemed to droop. Of course he was blaming himself. It was like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders sometimes, and she wondered how long he could do it before it broke him. She shifted her weight to her knees and took his hands in hers.

"Sora, what happened wasn't your fault. If anything, it's on me for not having enough light to drive Xehanort out of Terra's heart. And neither of us could have predicted that Xehanort would try to sabotage the whole thing. What was he even talking about when he said you could save Terra?"

Sora shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't say before I broke the connection."

"Was he taunting you? Trying to get you to act without thinking?"

"Probably."

"But then you froze up. Why?" She hadn't forgotten that strange look in his eyes.

He sighed again. "Kairi, I've faced him before. It… didn't go well. He tried to possess me, and my mind kept flashing back to that. It's why I failed my Mark of Mastery exam the first time. But then I heard your voice, and I remembered where I was and what I could do." As he spoke, his usual resolve returned, though his voice still had a deep heaviness to it. "You protected me, Kairi. Thank you."

It wasn't enough that Xehanort had stolen Terra from them. He'd tried to take Sora, too, and the mere thought made Kairi's blood boil. She would keep Sora safe. It was why she had trained so hard with Merlin and Lea. She was sick of watching him and Riku put everything on the line. Those days were over now. She had the power to help them, and that started right here, right now.

"Of course," she said. "I'm always here for you, okay? I'll protect you, Sora. I won't let Xehanort or anyone else hurt you."

"Yeah. With you around, I know Xehanort doesn't stand a chance of taking over my heart. You're my light in the darkness, Kairi."

Kairi nodded, a warm feeling spreading through her chest at his words. "I'm just happy to help. Whatever you're dealing with, Sora, you don't have to face it alone."

He regarded her for a long moment, then pulled her lucky charm out of his pocket. It was still in good condition despite all of his travels.

"I know. I haven't forgotten our promise."

She smiled. "You still have it." It had felt like ages since she'd last seen it, but he'd kept it with him all this time.

"Yeah. It always brings me back to you."

Well, of course it did. Her magic was in the charm, after all. She had a feeling the strength of her magic was related to the strength of her feeling, and since she'd given it to him, her feelings had only grown stronger.

She had an idea. "Here, hand it to me."

He raised his eyebrows, a question on his lips.

"The threats we're facing are stronger now, so I want to make the magic stronger," she explained. He nodded and placed it in her hands. She brought it to her lips and kissed it, light emanating off the charm as she did. "There. That should do it."

She handed it back to him and smiled. He looked from her to the charm, an unreadable expression on his face. Then his fingers closed over it, his hand shaking.

"Sora?"

"I'm fine, I just— no matter what happens, Kairi, I'll never forget my promise to you. And now you've made the magic stronger. Thank you."

Alarm bells went off in Kairi's head. Something was wrong. "Sora, what's going on?"

"Nothing. It's just that— after all the worlds I've been to, I've realized something. When I was searching for Riku, I kept thinking about how much I wanted to find him and bring him home. But it wasn't Destiny Islands I wanted to return to. It was you. You're home, Kairi, more than any place ever was or could be. So long as we're together, I know I'm home."

He gave her the most beautiful smile, then squeezed her hand and jumped off the window. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm really tired. I'm gonna try to get some sleep—"

She followed after him, putting her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his back. "Talk to me," she whispered. She wished she could see his face right now, see what kind of expression he was making. "Tell me what's on your mind," she pleaded.

"Kairi," he said at last, his voice heavy, "there are some things talking won't fix."

Her grip tightened. "Isn't there anything I can do to help?"

He paused. "Yes. Just… stay with me." He turned around and pulled her close. She snuggled next to his heart and sighed. That, at least, she could do.


	5. Chapter 5 - Dreams

Chapter 5 – Dreams

Disney Castle was vibrant and full of life, a stark contrast to the places Lea had spent his time as a Nobody. The white turrets were capped with blue rooftops and orange flags, and the green hedges in the castle's courtyard were carefully trimmed. The Hall of the Cornerstone shone with a bright light, and the Gummi Ship hangar was filled with the whir of cogs and machines. He had the urge to explore every nook and cranny of the place, but there were other, more pressing matters at hand.

After greeting Minnie, Mickey led them through a maze of low-ceiling rooms and corridors to a research lab deep underground. The room was dimly lit with only the soft blue and green of computer monitors providing much in the way of light. Two tanks filled with a mysterious fluid were hooked up to a giant machine, and a row of operating tables was lined up before them. Lea couldn't help but shudder. The place was like some mad scientist's layer, and it brought back unpleasant memories of when he and Isa—

"Mickey, I see you have returned." Ansem the Wise turned around from his position at the screen. Mickey and Riku greeted him, but Lea kept his mouth shut. He knew the man had been rescued along with Aqua, but it still came as a shock to see him again. Lea's jaw clenched as thoughts of Ansem the Wise's role in forcing Roxas to return to Sora surfaced, but he pushed them down. They were all on the same team now. Dwelling on the past wouldn't help.

"We have the research," Riku said. He set the thick volumes he carried on the table next to Ansem with a loud thunk, and Mickey and Lea placed theirs nearby.

"Excellent work. As you can see," Ansem continued, gesturing at the setup around them, "we are in the final stages of preparation. This will be a great help."

"What else do you still need?" Mickey asked.

"Well, the biggest obstacle is finding a way to create empty bodies. All of the replicas so far have developed their own hearts, and for obvious reasons that is not what Roxas and Naminé need. They simply lack physical shells, as they already have hearts of their own."

Tch. So the old geezer finally admitted it. Better late than never, Lea supposed.

"And you think Even's research holds the key?" Riku asked.

Ansem sighed. There were circles under his eyes, and the lines in his face seemed to have deepened even further since Lea had last seen him. "It's the best lead we have, in any case."

"And if you do find what you need in Even's research? Then what?" Lea asked, placing a hand on one of the operating tables and accidentally sending it clattering across the room. Ansem looked at him for a long moment, an inscrutable expression on his face as Lea hauled it back to its proper place.

"We will need Sora, Kairi, and Ventus for the final stage of the process. Their genetic material will provide the templates for Roxas and Naminé's bodies, and the last of the data I hid inside of Sora. Any word on where they are?"

"Tron's been in touch," Riku said. He glanced at the tanks for a moment, then looked at Ansem again. "Ven's still training with Merlin, but we could ask him to come here."

Ansem waved his hand. "Do not trouble the boy. We will summon him when the research is ready. Until then, let him prepare for the upcoming battle."

Well, that was that. Either the research they'd fought so hard to get would help, or it wouldn't. All they could do was wait, and Lea hated waiting.

As the days went by, he explored the castle and sparred with Riku. There wasn't much else to do, really. Lea was no scientist, so it wasn't like he could help decipher Even's research. And the blood pumping in his veins, the secret code embedded inside of him that made Lea Lea, wasn't what Roxas needed to become whole.

So many skills, and yet no need for them. Being useless sucked. He took his frustration out on Riku when they fought, on those obnoxiously perfect shrubs when no one was looking, on the pristine white walls when he threw his Keyblade at them. Riku was forgiving; the shrubs and walls, not so much. At least Mickey was happy. Lea wondered when the last time he'd gotten to spend this much time with his wife was. The life of a Keyblade wielder didn't exactly account for commitments like marriage or family.

When Lea had the whole place just about memorized, Ansem finally called them back down to his creepy lair.

"Well?" Lea asked, his tone just a tad more forceful than he'd intended. The muscles under his skin were pulled taut and his stomach churned. They were close, so close to saving Roxas, and yet—

Ansem smiled. An actual smile that showed his teeth and made the skin near his eyes crinkle. Huh. So he was capable of genuine emotion.

"Send word to Ventus. We will be needing him for the fighting that will no doubt erupt."

Lea's heart pounded. Had he really heard him right?

"You found a way to make the bodies?" Riku asked.

"Indeed. The key is not to clone the originals directly; that will clone the entire person, heart, body, and soul. We would end up with another Riku Replica on our hands."

Riku frowned. Considering how things had gone the last time they'd bumped into his replica, it wasn't surprising. What was it like, to have an evil clone of yourself running around that you had never agreed to create? Even's appearance alongside him had led them to believe he'd had a hand in bringing the Riku Replica back, or making a new body for his heart. The last Riku had seen of his replica, he had disappeared into the darkness, but if anyone could find him, it was Xehanort. And if anyone else could make a body for him, it was Even.

Lea wondered if Even had gone along willingly, or if he'd been coerced. He'd been in an unstable condition the last time he'd seen him, so Lea was leaning towards the latter, but who could really say.

"No, I had it wrong all along." Ansem continued, interrupting Lea's thoughts. "We must create new bodies directly from Roxas and Namine's hearts."

Mickey scratched his cheek. "I'm guessin' we still need Sora and Kairi though, right?"

"That is correct. We will create a realm of data and send them inside. Much like my digital Twilight Town, as you remember, Riku. If they remove Roxas and Namine's hearts while they are inside, we can program the data to create bodies to host them. It is simply a matter of bringing Roxas and Naminé into the real world afterwards. The objects from the data realm took on physical form when they were brought to this one."

"Like Olette's pouch, and Roxas's stone," Riku said.

"Exactly."

Lea crossed his arms. "Sounds risky to me. In case you forgot, old man, yours truly broke into that digital Twilight Town of yours with ease. And what happens if it doesn't work? What happens to Roxas and Naminé then?"

"That is why we need Ventus. Everyone who can help fight must. And as for Roxas and Naminé's safety," at this Ansem paused and closed his eyes, "it is a risk we must take. It is likely that if the data does not create bodies for them, their hearts will simply return to Sora and Kairi."

"Likely, huh."

Ansem's eyes flew open. "What would you suggest, young man? Creating replicas of Roxas and Naminé, only to steal the new life we've created to give to them? Do you think they would want that, considering the circumstances around their own existences?"

"No, but—"

Ansem's expression softened. "We will take the utmost precautions. I owe that at least to them."

It was better than nothing. The process would be risky no matter what, but at least he meant well.

"And what about that girl Sora saw?" Lea said.

Ansem gave him a curious look. "There is another that needs rescuing?"

"Sora thinks so." And a nagging thought at the back of his mind told him he thought so, too.

"Well, if that is true, then we should be able to rescue her along with Roxas and Naminé."

"Have you made the new data realm yet?" Mickey asked.

Ansem gestured to the computer. Numbers and dots and letters flashed by, the code for the creation of a new world. "Chip and Dale are making it now based off the digital form of Jiminy's journal. It should be finished by tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Roxas's rescue could happen that soon. Well, if Sora and Kairi made it back by then. He could only hope nothing had happened to them on their mission to find Terra.

* * *

"You okay, Donald? You've been flying for hours." Aqua knelt next to him, putting an arm on his shoulder. He paused to wipe his bleary eyes before putting his hands back on the controls.

"Yeah. We'll get to Radiant Garden soon."

Normally, he and Sora would take turns, but Sora and Kairi hadn't emerged from below deck yet. They were fast asleep, as a quick check on them an hour before had revealed. They had been sprawled out on Sora's bed, Kairi propped up against the pillow with Sora's head on her lap. Aqua smiled. Even in sleep, they'd been looking out for each other. She'd paused to drape a spare blanket over Kairi's shoulders.

They were so young. Too young for the tasks they'd been burdened with. In sleep they looked so peaceful, but it was only an illusion. When they awoke, Aqua knew the worry lines would return to Kairi's face and the dark circles under Sora's eyes would reappear.

Physically, Aqua knew she was several years older than them, but she felt ancient in comparison. The carefree days of adolescence had ended long ago for her, if they had ever existed. She'd always pushed herself to be better, stronger, always looking to the future; and in doing so, she hadn't appreciated the present for all it had to offer. She'd forced herself to grow up too quickly, and she didn't want them to make the same mistake.

"How about you, Aqua?" Goofy asked, breaking her out of her reverie. "Hangin' in there?"

"Yeah." Her failure to save Terra for the second, no, third time was weighing her down, but no need to burden them with that.

"Aqua, you don't have to pretend with us. I can understand puttin' on a brave front in fronta Sora and Kairi, but you can let your guard down when it's just the three of us."

Her shoulders relaxed. She hadn't even released they'd been tensed up. "Thank you," she said softly.

They were silent for a moment, the only sound the usual whir of the ship. Then Goofy spoke up again.

"Aqua, what do you wanna do when all this is over?"

He spoke with such confidence, in whens and not ifs. But why not indulge him? It was better than staring at the mirror and talking to herself about her insecurities.

"You mean my dreams for the future?" She laughed. "It's been so long, I don't know that I—"

"Surely you can think of something," Donald said.

Aqua pulled her Wayfinder out and turned it this way and that. The bright lighting of the ship reflected off it, sending flickering shards of blue across the walls.

"I always wanted to be a teacher, like Eraqus was. He passed on his knowledge to us, and I wanted to do the same. I wanted to become a Keyblade Master and have apprentices of my own, so that together we could protect the worlds from harm."

"Well, arentcha doin' just that? I mean, Kairi's your student now," Goofy pointed out.

Aqua allowed herself to smile. "That's true." The girl she'd passed the Keyblade on to all those years ago was in her charge now. It was funny how fate worked sometimes.

"Anything else?" Donald asked.

She swallowed. "I want to go home. I want to watch the stars with Terra and Ven." How she'd taken their last night together for granted. What she wouldn't give to revisit it, no, to make it happen again, the three of them safe and together like they should be.

"And after that?" Goofy asked.

They were treading on sacred ground, buried deep out of the fear that her carefully guarded hopes would be crushed to smithereens.

"I… I want to open a Keyblade Academy. I know it sounds silly, but—"

"I don't think it's silly at all," Goofy said. His face was the most serious she'd ever seen it. It was oddly comforting, hearing her dreams weren't as ridiculous as they seemed in her head.

"Yeah, you'd be a great teacher." Donald gave her a thumbs up before returning to driving.

But there was something else, another dream that she didn't dare share with anyone. She'd pushed it aside for years and years, always putting her duty first, telling herself that this dream could come later, or that she didn't have time for it, or any number of excuses not to act on it. How she regretted her foolishness now. An aching feeling deep inside of her heart reminded her of the truth. She could've had what she'd wanted, if only she'd had the courage to speak up. If only she hadn't always put her duty before her own heart.

Well, it didn't matter. Nothing could come of it, anyway, not until—

"How about you, Goofy?" she asked, to get her mind off her thoughts. "What's your dream?"

Goofy rubbed his chin, his eyes gazing out the window. "Gawrsh, I'd really just like to see my son Max again. It's been ages since I've seen him."

Aqua processed this information as best she could. She'd had no idea Goofy had a son. That meant that at some point he'd probably been married. But if he didn't mention his wife, then she must be—

"He left home a few years ago, after my wife passed away," Goofy clarified. "Wanted to see the worlds for himself. I'd hoped that maybe we might run into each other after I started travelin' more often, but it hasn't happened yet."

"I'm sorry, I had no idea—"

Goofy gave her a lopsided grin. "It's okay. He'll come home when he's ready."

Aqua cleared her throat. "Donald? How about you?"

Donald tapped his fingers on the controls. "Gee, I'd like to take Daisy on a date someplace special. Just hop on the Gummi Ship and show her a good time." He sighed. "Our dates are always getting interrupted or postponed by the darned Heartless and Nobodies. We can't ever get a moment to ourselves."

Maintaining a relationship did seem hard under their current circumstances. Aqua was about to say as much when Donald's surprised shout interrupted her. The ship began to shake, the three of them bouncing in their seats with their heads rattling until Aqua was sure hers was about to fall off.

"D-D-Donald? W-what's ha-ha-ppen-ing?!"

* * *

Kairi awoke to the ship rocking to and fro. Her back was stiff, and there was something heavy—

Oh. She was still on Sora's bed, and he was asleep on her lap. She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, taking comfort in the familiar sight.

 _I must've fallen asleep, too._ She hadn't meant to, but she'd been so tired, heavy eyelids drooping lower and lower till she'd let them close completely. Her hand was still resting on his head, too. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. Her fingers trailed to his face, then traced the outline of his cheek. It was thinner, more angular now. He'd had chubby cheeks as a kid, but the older he got, the sharper his features became, yet another bittersweet reminder that they were both growing up, and fast.

That wasn't the only thing about him that was different now. His shoulders were broader, and the muscles in his arms and chest were more pronounced. He'd gotten taller, which meant he'd also finally grown into his feet. Just as her body had changed, his had, too. But in all the places she'd gotten softer and curvier, his body had become strong and solid. They complemented each other perfectly. Nature was finally catching up to what they'd both known all along.

He stirred, bleary eyes blinking awake as he yawned.

"Morning, lazy bum," she whispered. A sleepy smile illuminated his features. He looked so different now than he usually did, more like the carefree Sora she used to know and less like the Sora who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Morning, Kairi." His voice was lower than normal, and this observation set butterflies loose in her stomach. He sat up and stretched, his shirt pulling up to reveal his stomach. She tried not to look, but it was hard not to when he was right there in front of her.

 _He's hardly a lazy bum anymore. Not with those muscles._

She avoided his eyes, her cheeks burning. The ship hit a particularly rough patch, and he fell forward and wound up on top of her. His face turned bright red, and he apologized profusely as he tried to prop himself up.

But she didn't want him to. The way his body was pressed against hers felt good, and her fingers instinctively curled around his jacket in an attempt to get him to stay. He froze, his gaze traveling from her hand to her eyes. Her chest heaved as she tried to calm the pounding in her heart. She brought a hand to his cheek, and he swallowed, his breath quickening. But he stayed still, not acting, not reciprocating, not responding.

Before, Kairi had a feeling she knew how this would go, without Donald or their other friends around to interrupt. But now, Sora's body was tense, unmoving, even while the look in his eyes gave him away.

He was holding himself back. There was no other explanation, none that made sense, anyway.

But more importantly, why? And did it have anything to do with his strange behavior earlier?

He tried to shift his weight to get into a better position when another bump made him fall on top of her again. She let out a loud oomph. Their eyes met, and just like that, the tension was broken. They burst out laughing.

"Guess we should make sure everything's okay upstairs," he said. Kairi sighed and extracted herself from their tangle of limbs as Sora sat up and straightened his clothes. She put her shoes back on and tossed his to him. He took one look at her face and smiled sadly.

"Kairi, when all of this is over—"

"But don't you get it, Sora? It'll never be over."

Not while there was still darkness lurking in people's hearts. Not while they both still had Keyblades.

Kairi was young, decisions like jobs and serious relationships supposed to be years in her future. But the Keyblade had changed all that. It had made all of those choices for her already. In the back of her mind, that knowledge always lurked there. When their adventure had first begun, it hadn't seemed to matter. But now, knowing what they shared, knowing that maybe, in the future, they might want something different from this life of endless fighting…

He hung his head and sighed. "I know."

There was a weariness to his tone that wasn't usually there, that was so unlike his normal self that Kairi was convinced last night's behavior hadn't been a fluke after all.

"Sora, about last night—"

He smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, that. Don't worry, I'm fine."

She didn't believe him. He hadn't been fine. He'd sought her comfort even while he wouldn't tell her what was on his mind. And now he was shutting her out again.

She sighed. "I wish you would tell me what's bothering you."

Before he could say anything, the ship pitched to the side again. They had no choice but to stagger to the ladder. His head popped up above deck first, and he offered his hand to her. Just like that, as if nothing was wrong with him. The mask was back on. He pulled her up right in time for the ship to send them tumbling into a pile in the corner.

He sat up and rubbed his head. "Geez, Donald, what's going on?"

"It's not me!" Donald shook the controls to demonstrate. "Something took control of the ship!"

Kairi decided she was best off not fighting gravity and latched onto Aqua's chair instead. Goofy peered out the window, trying to make out where they were headed.

"Gawrsh, that looks an awful lot like home, Donald, dontcha think?"

Donald's eyes went wide. "Wak! It is!"

"Think the king might be bringing us here?"

"Maybe. I wonder if he and Riku and Lea have found Even yet."

Aqua looked at the rapidly approaching world. As they entered its atmosphere, the vague outlines of Disney Castle came into view, white turrets with blue rooftops and orange flags perched on top.

"Hold tight, everyone!" Donald called, and with that, they descended. Kairi hoped that Riku and Lea and Mickey had been more successful in their endeavors.

Well, they were about to find out, from the looks of it.

* * *

A/N: I'd like to give a quick shoutout to derekscorner and their awesome theory over on tumblr about how the data realm might come into play for KH3. It was the inspiration behind Ansem the Wise's explanation for how he thinks Naminé and Roxas can get bodies of their own in this chapter.

As always, thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6 - Shaded Truths

Chapter 6 – Shaded Truths

Sora and Kairi's group had finally arrived at Disney Castle, thanks to Merlin's magic. After they'd contacted Tron to ask for Ven to come, Merlin had located their ship and sent it here. Riku thought everyone looked a bit frazzled by the bumpy journey, but none the worse for wear.

It felt like ages since he'd last seen his friends. In reality, it had only been a month or so, but with as little time as they'd all been spending together lately, it seemed like a lot longer.

"Kairi! Sora!" He didn't bother hiding the excitement in his voice as he raced towards them. His days of pretending he was too cool to care were long over now. Their faces likewise lit up when they saw him.

"Riku!" they both cried, tackling him with a hug as soon as they'd landed in the hangar and disembarked from the Gummi Ship. All the machines in the place whirred and clicked away around them, cogs and wheels finally slowing down now that the ship had landed. But Riku paid the hustle and bustle no attention. His friends were back and they were safe, and that was all that mattered.

He didn't want to think about the danger facing them, about the risk saving Roxas and Naminé would bring. Because if he did, the memories of Kairi's limp body and Sora's Heartless, which were always lurking on the edges of his mind, would return full force to haunt him.

 _That won't happen. Not ever again. I won't let it._

"Kairi!" Lea scooped her up into a hug as soon as Riku had managed to pry Sora and Kairi off of him. Happy as he was to see them, that level of physical affection was still a little much.

Kairi giggled and flicked Lea's forehead. "Miss me?"

He launched into a full debriefing about what had happened in the last several weeks as he practically dragged her down to Ansem the Wise's lab. Riku followed a little ways behind with Sora beside him, and Aqua went with Donald and Goofy to meet Mickey.

"How'd things go?" Sora asked him, falling into one of their usual conversations with ease.

"Pretty good, actually. We went to this place called Atlantis where we found someone to translate Even's research. Well, I guess he's Vexen right now, because Xehanort has him." At this Sora sighed, and Riku agreed with the sentiment before continuing. "Anyway, after that, we came back here, and Ansem the Wise figured out a way to create Roxas and Naminé's bodies. He'll explain it to you when we see him."

At this news, Sora's face lit up. "Hear that Kairi?" he called. "Roxas and Naminé can be saved!"

She smiled briefly at him. "Yeah, it's great news!" Then she turned her attention back to Lea, enraptured by whatever story he was telling her about Atlantis. A strange look flickered in Sora's eyes, but he quickly hid it behind his usual grin.

Something had happened, but Riku knew better than to ask about it directly.

"How about you guys?" he said instead. "Any leads on Terra?" They hadn't saved him, obviously, otherwise he'd be here, and Aqua wouldn't have looked so forlorn; but maybe they'd found something that might help.

Sora's face fell. "Oh, that. Ummm, we found Terra all right. And his mind and body are back together again…"

"They are? Isn't that good news?" Sora's words and his tone were saying two different things.

"Yeah, but Xehanort still has him." Sora sighed, his head drooping. "Riku, I don't know what we should do. If we fight Xehanort to free him, we need all the help we can get. I don't think Xehanort has all his Seekers yet, but we're still outnumbered. And if we have help…"

"There's a good chance we'll make the χ-blade." Riku sighed. Sora was right; there was no clear-cut way to save Terra.

"Maybe… maybe there's another way. One that doesn't involve fighting," Sora said. They were descending a narrow flight of stairs now, and Riku had to turn around to look at him. He couldn't believe his ears. Sora, suggesting they consider options that didn't involve fighting?

"Are you kidding? You know Xehanort won't let him go without a fight."

Sora put his hands up. "Just trying to think of all the options, geez."

"Fair enough." Riku thought of Terra, of the man who had chosen him to wield the Keyblade, who had inspired him to travel the stars. His hero, his idol – now in Xehanort's clutches, just like Riku had once been in Ansem's. Riku had followed right in his footsteps, and he hadn't even realized it.

But that also meant that if Riku could escape, then Terra could, too.

"Believe me, Sora. I wish there was a way to save him without a fight," Riku said. But there would be a fight no matter what – either Terra would have to wage his own personal war against Xehanort from inside his heart, or the Guardians of Light would have to come and rescue him.

Riku paused, trying to follow his heart, trying to be hopeful. "But you know what Sora? Maybe there is. Maybe he'll do what I did, and break free on his own."

"Yeah." Sora grinned, a reaction that made Riku raise his eyebrow. "You should have seen him when he recombined with his armor," Sora clarified. "It was like Donald said. I wouldn't want to be Xehanort right now."

Riku continued his descent down the stairs, Sora following close behind him. Before long, they had reached the dimly lit walls of the lab. Ansem the Wise was there, along with Chip and Dale. He filled Sora and Kairi in on the remaining details and explained their roles in saving Roxas and Naminé. They readily agreed to what he suggested, eager to help however they could.

"So, when's all this gonna take place?" Sora asked.

"Soon. The data realm is ready, but we need to run some tests on you and Kairi first. And there is also the matter of Xehanort. We must be prepared for an attack from his Seekers of Darkness."

"An attack?!" Kairi asked, her brow furrowing. "How come?"

"Roxas," Riku and Sora said in unison. Comprehension spread across Kairi's face as she realized what they meant.

Lea crossed his arms, a scowl on his face. "We won't let them have him."

"Or Naminé," Kairi said. "Can you imagine what her powers could do if she fell into their hands?"

 _Yes, yes I can, Kairi._ Riku looked at Sora. Did he still have no memory of what had happened in Castle Oblivion the first time?

"Precisely," Ansem the Wise said. "That is why we must be ready. Mickey is evacuating his citizens, and we have sent for Ventus to come here. We will need his help. After that, the process can begin."

Ansem really was trying to make up for what he'd done. Evacuating an entire world and creating a whole new one just to save Roxas and Naminé was proof enough.

"Ansem, thank you." Sora turned to him and bowed his head. "Without your help, we never would have gotten this far."

Ansem was taken aback. He paused to collect his emotions before he spoke again. "It is the least I can do, after the trouble I have caused you all." His eyes lingered on Lea as he continued. "In my arrogance and bigotry, I ignored the truth that was before my very eyes. This is my way of atoning for that."

Lea's expression softened. Riku hadn't missed how he'd tensed up every time they were around Ansem, and it didn't take much to figure out why. Ansem had once pushed Riku to ignore the unease he felt in their dealings with Nobodies. Anything to wake Sora up, even if it meant ignoring the humanity of the people Ansem insisted didn't have hearts, when every piece of evidence screamed otherwise.

Well, those days were behind them. It was time to make things right.

* * *

"That's it, Kairi! You're getting the hang of it."

The spark of electricity crackled through the air as Kairi's Thundaga spell connected with the dummies Aqua had summoned. She had all the –ra tier spells mastered, and Aqua had moved on to teaching her –ga magic. They'd grabbed a few spare minutes after lunch to practice, but Aqua would be needed to help Mickey with something again soon.

Kairi smiled and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "All thanks to you."

Aqua returned the smile, her cheeks flushed pink. She was a good teacher, patient and clear in her explanations. Very different from Merlin, who preferred to be cryptic and throw Kairi into strange situations. He was still a good teacher, just in his own, uh, unique way. As Aqua was the best mage in their current group, Kairi knew she was in good hands as her student now.

"Are there any spells after the –ga ones?" she asked, letting her Keyblade disappear and bending down to tie her shoes.

"Well, there are the –za spells, but it'll take a while to work our way up to those." Aqua put her hands on Kairi's shoulder. "We'll get there, don't worry. In the meantime," she said, summoning her Keyblade, "watch this." Three powerful surges of ice magic hit the remaining dummy and froze it solid.

Kairi stared at the dummy, mouth agape. "Woah, that was awesome!" she finally said when her brain was working again. "What's that one called?"

"That," Aqua said, brushing a few flecks of snow off her shirt, "was Triple Blizzaga. Doesn't take as much buildup as a –za spell, and very useful in a pinch. We'll work on the Triple spells after you've mastered the –ga ones."

Kairi grinned. "I'm looking forward to it."

She was heading back to her room when she bumped into Riku. He had a distracted look on his face, and the white t-shirt under his jacket was slightly wrinkled.

She'd hardly gotten to see him since she'd arrived, let alone talk to him. She and Sora had both been put through a series of physical tests, and Ansem the Wise planned on using the results for the data realm. Between that and her training with Aqua, she'd had little free time.

"Riku!"

"Hey, Kairi. What's up?"

Kairi fiddled with her necklace. Should she tell Riku about Sora's behavior on the Gummi Ship? They hadn't talked, not alone, anyway, since then. He had been more cheerful since coming here though. Whether that was because he was feeling better or because he was hiding how he really felt, she wasn't sure. But maybe he'd talk to Riku about it.

"Have you seen Sora around?" she finally asked.

"I was just looking for him, actually. There's something I wanted to ask him about."

Well, that explained the distracted look.

"If you find him," Kairi said, "can you… can you make sure he's doing okay?"

Riku frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kairi sighed and explained, giving him an overview about what had happened on their mission. Riku listened intently, and Kairi asked him what he thought.

"Well, he blames himself for Terra's rescue going south, like you said. But I think he's also scared he might hurt you."

"Hurt me? I know Sora would never hurt me." Kairi was taken aback. Could that be the reason behind his odd behavior?

"No, he wouldn't," Riku replied. "But his Heartless form might. You were smart to avoid letting that happen."

"Well, that wouldn't really be him anymore, would it? Surely he knows I wouldn't blame him for that."

Riku gave her a knowing look. "You wouldn't blame him, but he'd blame himself."

Kairi sighed. Riku was right. She gave him a quick hug and thanked him for his help.

"Talk to him about controlling his darkness too, will you?" she asked. "That's one area where I really can't help him."

"Sure thing."

Kairi sighed again as she watched Riku's retreating figure. Riku was Sora's best friend. They'd known each other since before Kairi had even entered the picture. Of course he would share more with him.

But still, a small part of her wondered if Sora would ever be as open with her as he was with Riku. She knew part of it was shyness due to his feelings for her, but he put up a brave front around her sometimes that he didn't ever put up for Riku. Like he had to be strong for her in a way he didn't feel like he had to be for Riku.

More than that, though, she wanted to make sure he was okay. They were finally together again. Everything had been going so well until the Keyblade Graveyard. She felt more distant from him now than when she'd written to him every night in her diary. She knew what she'd be writing in it now, if it weren't still carefully tucked inside one of his pockets.

 _Sora, I can be strong for you when you're weak. And you can be strong for me when I'm weak. And for those times when we're both weak, we can lean on each other. Together we'll be strong enough to make it through, I know we will._

 _But you have to trust me. You have to let me in._

 _Why are you shutting me out?_

"Hey, why the long face?"

Kairi whirled around. Lea was slouching against the white wall nearby, one foot propped up against it.

"It's nothing."

He arched an eyebrow. "Trouble with your man?"

"N-no!" Kairi's face betrayed her, her cheeks flushing in spite of herself.

"Uh-huh. Look, we don't have to talk about it. Not really my business, you know?"

Kairi relaxed. "Thank you." She fell into an easy stride beside him, just like all those times they'd taken walks together on Radiant Garden.

 _Huh, those shrubs look weird. Like someone ripped out random chunks of the leaves._ The shrubs in question, pride of Disney Castle, were as green and fluffy as ever, just a little, uh, misshapen. Kairi wondered what had happened.

"Is everything okay?" she asked Lea. "You were pretty tense around Ansem the Wise. I know it can't be easy for you, after what he did to Roxas," she added.

"Tch. I'm an open book to you now, aren't I?"

Kairi's mouth twitched. "Spending months around someone tends to do that."

"Guess so."

"And those tanks, in Ansem's lab. You kept looking at them."

Lea stopped. "Noticed that too, did you?" She nodded, and he pursed his lips, waging an internal argument with himself. "I think you missed your calling, Kairi. Sure it's not too late to become a detective?"

"Guess I need a day job eventually, huh?"

"Yeah. You don't want to be a homeless bum like me."

It struck Kairi that she still knew very little about Lea's past, other than his friendship with Isa. Did he have any family? She had no idea. She'd never asked.

"Remember when I told you about Isa?" Lea said. Kairi gave her full attention to him. She could tell he was about to say something important.

"Yeah. You guys were best friends, right?"

"Yup. But that wasn't all. I never told you how we became Nobodies, did I?"

"No, I don't think you did." Kairi knew it had happened somehow, but she'd never asked for the details. It didn't seem like the sort of thing she should just ask him about.

"We were a couple of sneaks. Always trying to get into places we weren't allowed. It's how I knew about all those secret areas around the castle."

Kairi nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"Well, one day, that came back to bite us." He laughed, but there was no mirth in his tone. "Guess we had it coming, after all the trouble we'd caused."

No amount of adolescent shenanigans earned getting turned into a Nobody, but Kairi held her tongue. She wanted to hear the rest.

"We snuck into the castle, and this time, we weren't thrown out. Ansem, well, Xehanort, needed something. We were orphans. He knew no one would miss us."

Lea's voice was strained, and an uneasy feeling settled over Kairi. She had a pretty good idea where this was going, and she wasn't sure she wanted to—

"We became his test subjects, his lab rats. He experimented on us, and, well… you get the picture. I don't need to spell it out for you, do I?"

He gave her a wry grin, but she wasn't smiling at all. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. She'd had no idea. Vague memories of a time long ago, of white coats and mysterious chambers and tanks filled with fluid briefly flashed into her mind, and she pushed them back down and focused on Lea.

He patted her head. "It was a long time ago. I'm okay now, Kai."

"Doesn't make it any better," she said, in a sad echo of what he'd told her before when she'd opened up about her own past. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she tilted her head back to meet his gaze.

"No, but it wasn't all bad. I never would have met Roxas if I hadn't. Or you, for that matter."

"Well, I'd hardly call our first meeting ideal," Kairi said, allowing herself a small smile.

"Ouch, you just had to go and remind me, didn't you?" He ruffled her hair and smiled sadly.

"I wish I could have known you. Back then, I mean." Back before Xehanort had ruined his life. Back before all of this had started, when the worlds were at peace.

"Who knows? Maybe we bumped into each other. Before you, uh, left."

"Yeah, left." Kairi grinned and poked his arm. "It's funny how fate works sometimes, isn't it? We ended up on the same world again in the end. I'm glad, though. I'm glad we're friends now."

His eyes were soft when he finally answered. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

They continued their walk, laughing and chatting away about everything and nothing. Neither of them noticed Sora hidden behind one of the pillars. He'd gone looking for Kairi, only to see that she was in the middle of an important conversation with Lea that had… turned into hugging?

Sora tried to fight the green-eyed monster that reared its ugly head, but he couldn't help it. He trusted Kairi; he knew there was nothing going on between her and Lea. They were like brother and sister, and the kidnapping combined with the age difference between the two of them was more than enough to stop that kind of thing from happening, anyway.

But the fact that they'd spent more time together in the last several months than Sora had gotten to spend with Kairi in an entire year… And the ease with which she talked to Lea, the playful way she teased him…

 _That's how she always teases me._

Sora groaned and buried his face in his palm.

 _Sora, stop. Kairi's like that with all of her friends. It's one of the reasons you like her, idiot. Besides, this whole thing is your own fault for acting so weird. You shut her out when she was just trying to help._

 _I didn't have a choice! If she knew what I had really been thinking about, then—_

 _Shut up. You're lucky she gives you the time of day._

If he hadn't been around since she was a kid, he was sure she would have gone for some other guy. Someone like Riku, maybe. Cool and calm and collected. Sora was a lazy bum, a goofball, choking on chicken bones and making messes and napping when work needed to be done and otherwise causing her trouble. She always used to tease him about it, and while he'd usually tried to laugh it off, it had gotten under his skin more than he'd cared to admit. It wasn't until his journey had begun that he'd realized that maybe her teasing was just a front to hide her own feelings.

And if there had been any doubt, everything since then – her lucky charm, which he took out to look at, her letter, her diary – all of her gifts to him, the little reminders of how she felt about him – reassured him. And of course most recently, their reunion.

Everything had been better than he'd imagined. The look on her face when she'd seen him standing in the doorway, the way she fit so perfectly in his arms, the delicious anticipation growing and growing until something inside of him had snapped when her thumb brushed against his lips, her reaction when she realized what was about to happen as he pulled her close… And then Donald had gone and ruined it.

Sora frowned at the memory. _Thanks a lot, Donald._ It wasn't like his friend had _tried_ to kill the moment, but it had happened all the same.

He'd thought about kissing her afterwards, when they were alone in her room together, but the timing just hadn't seemed right. And a dozen other times since then, but something had always held him back – other people being there, the mood being slightly off, the list went on and on.

And now he couldn't. Shouldn't. It was for the best. No, really. He _knew_ that, and yet what he was keeping from her was killing him inside. He wanted to tell her everything, to apologize and beg her forgiveness and gather her in his arms and—and kiss her. But he couldn't. So instead he had to watch as she opened up to Lea. All because—

He banged his fist against the nearest surface, the only way he could vent his frustration.

"Ouch, that hurt!" He winced and shook his fingers. Oh. It was the Gummi Ship. Somehow, he'd ended up in the hangar, his feet taking him here while his mind was elsewhere. Maybe he could just hop inside and fly away. Go to another world for a bit, get his mind off his worries. Go on some grand adventure and meet new people.

He climbed in and ran a hand over the controls. No. He couldn't leave. Roxas needed him here. Roxas and that other girl. He ran bruised fingers through his hair and sighed.

 _You were right. It'll never be over, will it, Kairi?_

* * *

"Thought I'd find you here." Riku climbed inside the Gummi Ship and took a seat next to Sora. "Here, grabbed you one of these."

He tossed Sora his favorite kind of candy, chocolate with caramel, peanuts, and marshmallow filling. He eyed the scrapes on Sora's hand and raised an eyebrow. Sora simply thanked him and tucked the chocolate into his pocket.

Riku thought this kind of candy was way too sweet, but Sora loved it. He'd always had a sweet tooth. It was weird that he wasn't eating it.

"Look," Riku said, taking out an orange from his pocket and unpeeling it, "I'm not here to dole out relationship advice, but I know a cry for help when I see one. It's pretty bad when your girlfriend comes to me for advice because you won't talk to her about what's on your mind. Sora, a girl usually confides in her boyfriend, not in her boyfriend's best friend. This is how stupid drama starts, and I want no part of it."

Sora crossed his arms, a pout already forming on his face. "What did she say?"

"She's worried about you. She said you've been acting weird since you guys came back from the Keyblade Graveyard."

Riku popped a piece of orange into his mouth and carefully studied his friend for a reaction. Sora was silent for a moment, then finally sighed and raked the scraped hand through his hair and winced.

"Oh, that. I was trying not to stress her out—"

"That's BS and we both know it. If anything, you've made her more stressed."

Sora frowned. "She has a lot on her plate right now, I don't want to burden her with—"

Riku rolled his eyes and ate another piece of the orange. "And you don't? She's right, it's like you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. The worst part about it is, you don't have to. We're both here for you. And we're not the only ones. You've got so many friends now that I've lost track of them all."

That got a weak chuckle out of Sora. Finally. Riku was transitioning into asking him about more sensitive topics when Aqua raced down the steps of the hangar to them.

"Sora, Riku! There you are." She stopped, panting for breath, her face dripping with sweat. "Sora, Ansem the Wise wants you and Kairi to go to the data realm now. Mickey thinks an attack on the castle is imminent, and he wants you to rescue Roxas and Naminé before that happens. He and Donald and Goofy are finishing evacuating his subjects now, but Riku, you're needed for guard duty."

Well, so much for that. Sora and Riku both sprung to their feet and followed after Aqua.

 _I tried, Kairi, but it'll have to wait till later. I'll get to the bottom of this, I promise._

* * *

A/N: The part about Lea and Isa being experimented on hasn't been confirmed in canon, as far as I know. But other people have pointed out that it's suspicious that Lea woke up in Dream Drop Distance with a black coat on, as it meant he was wearing it when he lost his heart. Almost as if someone might have been testing the effectiveness of the black coats against the Heartless, hmmm... Anyway, we don't have confirmation either way, but I decided to go with this explanation as to how Lea and Isa became Nobodies, especially in light of the scene in Birth By Sleep's credits where Dilan I think it was caught them sneaking around the castle.

As always, thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7 - The Realm of Data

Chapter 7 – The Realm of Data

"Sora? Can you hear me?"

Sora's eyes fluttered open. The surf lapped at his feet, and he sat up, brushing grains of sand off his clothes. The tropical sun shone bright in the blue sky overhead, a stark contrast to the softer hues of Twilight Town. It was home, and yet not – a digital recreation from memory, or more accurately, from Jiminy's journal.

Seeing it again reminded him how little he'd been there lately. He looked towards the Secret Place, where he knew the paopu drawing waited. He and Kairi still hadn't talked about it. Now he wondered if they ever would.

"Sora?" Ansem the Wise asked again. His projection flickered, as much a part of the simulation as Sora's surroundings. He remained outside with Riku and Lea, monitoring what was happening on his computer. The three of them had also been tasked with protecting Sora and Kairi from any unwelcome visitors. They were the final layer of defense, and Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Aqua were stationed outside the lab as the primary layer.

"Can you hear me?" Ansem said.

"Uh, yeah."

"Is Kairi awake yet?"

Sora turned to the figure lying on the sand beside him. Her violet eyes opened. When she saw him, her expression softened, a smile crinkling the corners of her eyes. He gulped and tried to calm the pounding of his heart.

How could she smile at him like that, after how he'd been acting lately?

Sitting up, she flicked sand off her bare legs – had they always looked that nice? – before running her hand through her silky red hair—

Sora stifled a groan. He didn't have time for this. He had to focus on Roxas and Naminé and that other girl. That was the whole reason they were here.

But his body had other ideas. Now that Kairi was here beside him, it wanted him to pick up right where they'd left off, and he couldn't do that.

"Awake and reporting for duty," Kairi said. She caught him looking at her and raised her eyebrows, a mischievous grin tugging at her very inviting lips.

This wasn't going to be easy.

"Good," Ansem said. "Are you two ready?"

Kairi put her hand on Sora's shoulder. He tried to ignore how nice even a friendly touch from her felt.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she said. "You?"

He nodded and turned to Ansem. "I know I've said it before, Ansem, but thank you."

"It's the least I can do, after the role I played in their suffering. Xehanort will be searching for this place. We must be quick. Now, who will go first?"

"Me," Kairi said, sitting back and resting her hands on the ground. Her feet traced patterns in the sand, back and forth and back and forth. She was completely at ease, and it wasn't fair.

"But Kairi—"

She grinned. "It'll be fine. Besides, if something goes wrong with saving Roxas or that other girl, then we'd have no way of getting Naminé out of me."

That wasn't entirely true. "Riku can wake up hearts too, you know."

Riku's projection flickered into existence. His Keyblade was in his hand, but he was in his usual comfortable slouch. "Exactly. I'm the backup, but you guys'll get it right the first time. Have some faith in yourselves."

"Better hurry it up, I want to be the first thing Roxas sees," Lea's projection added.

Sora finally relented. Kairi had that look on her face, the one he knew was pointless arguing with.

"Ready?" he asked. He lay down next to her, feeling very small and vulnerable, and the way his chest heaved, up and down and up and down, caught her eye. She leaned over to kiss his cheek, and that was it. His brain stopped working. It became a broken repeat of the same thought, over and over again.

 _She kissed me. She really kissed me._

 _That was the first time she kissed me._

 _It wasn't on the lips, but—_

 _Sora, you don't have time for this!_ But it had felt really good all the same. Her lips were soft and pink, and his cheek tingled in the spot where they had connected with his skin.

 _What would it feel like to actually—_

 _Sora, no. You have to keep your distance from her, remember? You can't_ encourage _her._

But he really wanted to. His eyes followed her every movement as she ran her fingers through his hair. Her touch was soothing, sending pleasurable little shivers through his scalp and down the nape of his neck. For a moment he forgot all about the task at hand, focusing instead on the tingling in his skin, the sun shining on her hair, the memory of her lips pressed against his cheek.

She could tell how nervous he was. Well, the last time two times he'd released someone from his heart had ended badly for him. He could try to hide it all he liked, but the simple fact of the matter was that he was scared to try again. Especially since her heart was on the line now, too.

"Ready," she said. Her hand found his, and she gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry, Sora. Riku's right. Together, we can do it, I know we can."

Sora nodded and closed his eyes. He whispered Naminé's name right before plunging into Kairi's heart.

In some ways, it was very different from his own. Instead of being shrouded in shadow, it was filled with a warm, soft light. There were no enemies to be fought, only a soothing sense of calm and tranquility.

As he dove deeper and deeper, her memories whirled past him. At first, they were of her grandmother on Radiant Garden and family on Destiny Islands. He bumped into one on accident, and they started to change. Images of his smile, his laughter, all filtered through her eyes, flickered by. They were followed by a succession of memories of him, a gentle warmth accompanying each one.

He closed his eyes, resting in the comfort she provided and letting it carry him along. It was the same feeling as when she healed him, and for once he was completely at peace. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing on a smooth, glasslike surface. He looked down, and with a start, he realized where he was. Other than Kairi herself, his picture was the biggest one on her Heart Station.

"Kairi…" He was overwhelmed by what he was seeing. He knew how she felt, but here was such clear proof, engraved into her very heart. His eyes watered, and a few tears trailed down his face and landed on the ground. Swirls of light and color emerged from where they'd fallen, wrapping their soothing tendrils around him in a comforting embrace. It was like Kairi herself was hugging him.

"I'm okay." He smiled and wiped the tears from his eyes. "I promise. Just… taking it all in."

His gaze flickered to the rest of the platform. Riku was also there, as were some of the others she treasured in her heart, but he didn't see Naminé. He continued on.

The next platform was of her and her fellow Princesses of Heart. He climbed ever higher, searching for the person he was seeking. Finally. He reached a platform that was of Kairi and Naminé holding hands. Kairi's eyes were open, but Naminé's were closed. Other than that, they were mirror images of each other, down to the daisies and blue flowers surrounding them.

"Naminé!" he called. "Where are you?"

Silence. He wouldn't give up. He knew she was in here, somewhere.

"There's something I need to tell you," he added. Something he'd been meaning to say for a long time now.

A door appeared to his right, glowing with a soft light. He went through it, shielding his eyes from the light that shone through when he opened it.

He was in an enormous garden. There were flowers everywhere, every which way the eye could see. Kairi probably knew what all of them were called, but he could only guess at a few of them. They weren't the kind that grew naturally on Destiny Islands, which meant—

"Radiant Garden?" Kairi had mentioned something about such a garden existing on Radiant Garden in her diary. He'd wanted to see it someday; he just hadn't expected it to be this beautiful. In its current condition, Radiant Garden had its own… what was it Kairi had called it? Desolate beauty? but this was different. This must have been what the place used to be, before the Heartless invaded.

He continued his search for Naminé, calling her name. The scenery changed, the blossoms of Radiant Garden giving way to more familiar tropical plants. The crash of wave against shore reached him, and he knew where she must be. He raced to the water's edge, and there she stood, facing the ocean.

"The sea really is beautiful, isn't it?" She turned to look at him, her hair shining golden in the last lingering rays of sunlight. "I always wanted to see it for myself."

She was right, of course; the light reflected off the waves, making them sparkle as they hit the sand at her feet. Sora looked over her shoulder at her sketchpad before she closed it and sighed.

"You don't have to imagine it anymore," he said, offering his hand. "You can see it for yourself."

She looked back out at the sea. "Will Roxas be there?"

"Kairi insisted I come for you first. But he's next, I promise. Take him to the beach for me, will you?" She smiled and nodded, her violet eyes softening. She took his hand, and together they walked along the shore, going back to where Sora had come from.

"Oh, and Naminé?"

"Yes?"

He paused and hooked his pinkie finger around hers.

"Thank you." He looked at her and smiled. He'd finally said the words he'd longed to tell her. Her eyes shone, but just as he'd promised, she didn't cry. She smiled softly instead, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she tilted her head to the side.

"You're welcome."

"Friends forever?" he asked, putting his whole heart into the childlike promise.

"Friends forever," she replied, equally earnest.

Together they walked into the light, back to where Kairi was waiting.

 _See, Naminé? You aren't alone anymore. And you never will be again._

* * *

Guard duty wasn't so hard, really, until the enemy actually showed up. Then all bets were off. And there were a lot of enemies. The Heartless and Nobodies, of course, but also several hooded figures.

Aqua sighed and summoned her Keyblade. They weren't fighting to win, not really, just to buy time. She and Mickey had already sealed Ansem the Wise's lab with magic, but that seal wouldn't hold forever. She could only hope it would hold out long enough to save everyone who needed to be rescued.

"King Mickey, you and Aqua go after the Seekers. Donald and I can handle the rest," Goofy said. It was a good plan, considering how badly they were outnumbered. And Aqua knew exactly who she would target first: the brat who had caused first Ven and herself, and then Sora and Kairi, so much grief.

"Vanitas!" she shouted, launching a round of Blizzagas at him. He dodged them, of course, and went for the seal. At least her miss had cleared out some of the Heartless and Nobodies along the way.

"Oh no you don't!" She slammed her Keyblade into his before he could use it to hack away at the barrier. He sprang backward. She charged, only for Saïx to swing at her with his Claymore. It crashed into her barrier and bounced off. Mickey cast Stopza, and everyone but their allies froze.

"There, that'll buy us some time." He and Aqua helped Donald and Goofy take out as many Heartless and Nobodies as they could before time ran out. They were making good progress when one of those dratted Corridors of Darkness appeared. Of course. As soon as things got easier, something just had to go wrong.

"Oh, this won't do. This won't do at all." A man with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail appeared, telltale golden eyes flashing beneath his bushy eyebrows.

"Xaldin?!" Donald and Goofy shouted.

He smiled, then summoned a whole new swarm of Heartless and Nobodies and elevated himself with his lances. "There, that's better."

* * *

Sora woke up to see Kairi's concerned face above him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He rubbed his eyes and smiled. "Yeah. Naminé's awake now. It went well. Really well. The whole time I was in there, it was like your heart knew it was me." He stopped. What was he doing? This was not the way to—

She grinned. "Of course it did. I didn't spend all that time in your heart for nothing, you know." Her gaze flickered to her feet, and she shifted her weight. "Sora, if it's not too much to ask, I want you to take Naminé's heart out for me."

Sora's chest tightened. "But Kairi—"

She put a hand over his. "You're the only one who's done this before. Riku or Lea could try, but I think you're the best choice." She stood and pulled him to his feet, leading him over to the paopu tree.

Sora wasn't convinced. He looked to Riku's projection for help.

"We'll be right here," Riku said.

"Don't hurt her now." Lea cracked a smile. "Or yourself, either. I'm still waiting to see Roxas."

Sora looked back to Kairi. "What if something goes wrong?"

"It won't." She twined their fingers together and gave him one of her radiant smiles. "I'll squeeze if it hurts, okay?" She leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes. Sora swallowed. Great. Not only was Namine's life in his hands. Kairi's was, too. He knew it was pointless trying to change her mind. And he couldn't blame her for not wanting to do it herself. The only reason he'd been able to was because he'd had no other choice.

He knelt and grabbed the Key to Return Hearts out of his pocket. The metal was cold against his skin, and the last place he wanted it to go was inside Kairi's chest. His hands trembled as he directed it towards her heart. He hesitated, and her eyes fluttered open.

"Um… call Naminé," he said. "She needs to be ready."

"She is. Sora, I know this is going to hurt. But I trust you."

He looked at her for a long moment, then hung his head. Her words brought a sting of guilt – telling him she trusted him, even though he'd been pushing her away, even though he'd created a distance between the two of them. All because he—

"I – I can't do this," he said at last.

It was funny how he didn't hesitate to put himself on the line, but the moment she was in danger, he couldn't bear it. He wished he were the one asking her to take Roxas's heart out right now. That at least he knew he could handle.

She untangled her fingers from his to cup his cheek. "Yes, you can. Do it for Naminé, okay? Remember your promise to her."

Sora sighed. She sure knew how to get him to cooperate. Her fingers trailed down to his shirt, clutching it tight as he plunged the Key into her chest. She didn't cry out, but she clamped down hard on her lip, and tears swam in her eyes.

He wanted to stop, to put an end to her pain and pull her into his arms instead and comfort her. But he forced himself to focus on what he was doing.

"Is her heart attached to the Key?" he asked, his voice strained and his hand shaking. She nodded, grimacing. "Okay, I'm gonna take it out." Her grip on him tightened. He pulled the Key out, and she screamed, her back arching. Naminé's heart floated out of her body, and Sora dropped the Key and cradled Kairi in his arms. She panted for breath and clung to him. Lea and Riku raced over, about to jump into the data realm themselves.

"Shhhh, there, it's okay. It's over now. We did it, Kairi." Sora brushed a sticky strand of hair out of her eyes. She smiled weakly, and together they watched as the simulation created Namine's body before their very eyes. Zeroes and ones came together to make arms and legs and a body and clothes. Golden hair and eyelashes, lips and nose and ears and eyes and neck and shoulders, all the things that made Naminé Naminé, came into being. Her heart provided the blueprint, and the data everything else.

Her eyes fluttered open, and the look of joy and relief on Kairi's face was mirrored on Sora's own. He couldn't help but laugh as he and Kairi exchanged happy glances. He never could have imagined what saving her that fateful day in Hollow Bastion would lead to, but he was glad Roxas and Naminé had come into being. He couldn't imagine his life without them now.

"Kairi!" Naminé staggered to her newly created feet, only to wobble and lose her balance. Riku swept in and caught her. She smiled sweetly at him as he set her back down on the sand, and Sora raised an eyebrow.

 _Smooth, Riku, real smooth. When did you pop in here? I thought you were still watching from outside._

"Thank you," Naminé said. "Sorry, I guess I'm not used to having a body of my own again." She wiggled her fingers and toes, staring at them in wonder. Well, if Riku was here, they might as well give her her welcome back gift. Sora nodded at him, and he pulled something out of his jacket.

"Hey, Naminé, we thought you might want to have this." He offered her a sketchbook and a set of colored pencils. Naminé took them from him and examined them.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"It was Kairi's idea. Welcome back."

Kairi was feeling better now. She nodded at Sora, and he carried her over to where Naminé was waiting. She settled in next to Naminé and took her hands.

"How are you feeling? Did your heart accept that body okay?"

Naminé threw her arms around her, arms that were solid and real and firm. For the first time in her life, she was no longer teetering on the edge of existence. Kairi was taken aback, but soon returned the hug.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. Thank you, Kairi." Her grip tightened.

"You too. Thank you, Naminé. For everything."

* * *

Aqua barely had time to fight. She had her hands full recasting the barrier, because Xaldin was absolutely determined to make it come down.

Unfortunately, that meant she was wide open to attack. Donald and Goofy were trying to guard her, they really were, but there was only so much they could do against the swarm in the room. Mickey's magic slowed Xaldin down, but the simple fact of the matter was that they were losing ground. The barrier wouldn't hold much longer, not against Xaldin's stupid lances and wind attacks.

 _We could really use some good luck right about now,_ she thought as she narrowly avoided getting impaled. Why was it that Xehanort's side always had all the luck? Surely they were overdue for some cruel twist of fate. No, the world wasn't fair, as Master Eraqus had gently reminded her over and over again, but it would be nice if it was for once.

Vanitas charged, and she didn't notice until it was too late, divided as her attention was. She braced herself for his attack. But it never came. A powerful gust of wind swept him and a good half of the Heartless and Nobodies off their feet, throwing them into the air in a swirling vortex.

"Keep your hands off Aqua!"

"Ven!"

It was really him. He was really here. Oh thank goodness. There was the luck they needed. And he was standing again, not just standing, no – whirling around the room in a flurry of movement so rapid she could barely keep track of where he was. Just like his namesake. His body had recovered from his long sleep at last. Well, more than recovered, from the looks of it. He was clad in his armor, so she couldn't see for sure, but the magic he was casting, the blows he was landing – he'd obviously grown stronger, just like he'd promised he would.

"Aqua! The barrier!" he shouted.

"Right!" His entrance had given them the element of surprise. She recast the barrier, then gave it an extra layer of protection with her golden chains.

There. That should hold for now. She teleported to his side.

"You're late," she said. But her lips twitched all the same.

"Yeah, but that was one heck of an entrance, don't you think?" She could practically hear the grin in his voice. Well, it had been. She couldn't scold him for that. So she smiled instead, and together, they charged at their enemies.

* * *

Lea's projection reappeared in the data realm. "I hate to rain on everyone's parade, but we're on a bit of a time crunch here, and Roxas still needs rescuing." He glanced at some unseen force. "I don't know how much longer our guards can hold them."

Naminé needed to rest, but the others warned her they might have to leave at any moment. Kairi was about to go outside to help defend the place, but before she could, Sora stopped her.

"Stay with me." His hand latched onto hers and held tight. It was selfish, he knew, but the thought of plunging that Key back into his chest was terrifying him. All he could think of was the agonizing pain and the attack that had shattered his heart when he'd done it to save Ven. He was determined to save Roxas, but his heart was shrinking away from the task his mind and will had set for it. He needed Kairi's comfort and strength, now more than ever before.

Her expression softened. "Okay." She sat on the ground and patted her lap. "I have an idea. Rest your head here." He did as she requested, then looked up at her.

She ran her fingers through his hair as she spoke. "I think… I think I can ease the pain when you take Roxas's heart out. Just connect your heart to mine, like you did last time."

The time she'd healed his heart with her own memories, after he'd saved Ven. That had been amazing. He'd ridden the wave of pure joy and bliss she'd tenderly given him for days afterwards.

Maybe… maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all. But then another thought struck him.

"Then why didn't you do it for yourself?" he asked her. She could have avoided all that pain, but she hadn't. Why not?

She chewed her lip. He had the feeling she didn't want to tell him the real reason, and it only made him even more curious. Was it something she thought he wouldn't approve of?

"Kairi?"

"I..."

"Hurry it up!" Lea's projection warned.

"I'll tell you later."

Sora nodded and closed his eyes, diving into his heart once more. They didn't have any time to waste.

He returned to the place he'd seen Roxas last time, but he was nowhere in sight. The beach was empty. He hadn't even stumbled across the girl with dark hair, and every moment spent here meant his friends had to guard him that much longer.

"Roxas, we gotta hurry!"

If he wasn't here, there was one other place he might be. Sora searched for a way to access his memories of Twilight Town, and slowly, the beaches of home turned into its lazy afternoon streets. Still he continued, till at last he reached the clock tower just as it began to chime, the bells ringing out over the whole town.

"Roxas, where are you?" he called. He was about to start climbing the clock tower itself. Anything that might help him find—

"You really came for me."

Sora whirled around. Roxas was standing there, his mouth slightly open, and Sora took Roxas's hands in his, relieved to see him. "Of course I did. I promised."

Roxas's eyes narrowed. "And you promise this isn't gonna turn you into a Heartless?"

Sora couldn't deny that he'd considered turning himself into a Heartless again, if it meant saving Roxas. But thankfully they'd found a way to save him that didn't require that. Probably.

"Well, I can't guarantee that," Sora said. "But so far, so good. I mean, Kairi's okay."

Roxas swallowed. "Kairi? Then does that mean Naminé—"

"Yup." Roxas breathed a sigh of relief, and Sora smiled. He couldn't wait till Roxas was reunited with her. He wanted to see the looks on both of their faces. "She's resting, like you'll have to," he continued, "but she can't wait to see you. And there's someone else who really wants to see you, too."

Comprehension dawned on Roxas's face. He inhaled sharply, and Sora offered his hand.

"C'mon. Everybody's waiting for you."

There it was. Roxas was finally smiling. He smiled so rarely, and Sora was determined to change that.

"Okay, but first there's something I wanna show you." Sora was about to protest, about to remind him that they were running low on time, but he stopped himself. This was important to Roxas, and it wouldn't be right to interrupt him. Roxas took his hand and led him to a set of stairs, and together they climbed to the top of the clock tower.

"Wow, the view from up here is fantastic. You can see the whole town," Sora remarked. The colorful trains, the place where the Struggle Tournament was held, the sleepy houses and stores, even the rolling green hills far beyond. The scenery was incredible.

"Yeah." Roxas handed him a stick of blue ice cream and started eating one of his own. "Axel and I used to come here after work."

"I remember that. From your memories, I mean."

"You do?"

"Yeah." Sora took a bite of his ice cream. It was good, its rich sweet and salty flavor dissolving in his mouth. They sat there in silence for a while, eating their ice cream and enjoying the view. When Sora had finished his, he spoke again.

"You know something Roxas?"

"What?"

"I know the circumstances weren't the best, but I'm glad I met you."

"I – I'm glad I met you too. You make a good other."

Sora shook his head. "Nah, I'm not your other anymore. You're your own person now, Roxas, remember?"

"Y-yeah."

"And you know what else?"

"What?"

"You're my friend."

Roxas was crying, and Sora realized he was, too.

 _Some things really don't change._ Roxas might be leaving his heart, but that wouldn't stop them from sharing each other's joys and sorrows. Sora was lucky, really, to have such a wonderful friend.

* * *

"How's the situation inside?" Mickey asked, speaking into the headset he wore.

There was a pause, then Ansem the Wise's voice crackled on the other end. "Sora's waking Roxas up now."

"Tell him to hurry!" Donald zapped a group of Heartless nearby, the sweat trickling down his face. "We can't keep this up!"

Xaldin had doubled his efforts. Ven's arrival had turned the tide in their favor, until Xaldin had brought even more enemies along to fight. Of course. They'd have to evacuate soon for their own safety.

 _BAM._ Aqua didn't have to turn around to know the barrier had been destroyed.

"Begin the evacuation!" Ansem shouted.

Goofy whirled around. "But Sora—"

"I've given the orders to Riku and Lea. They'll get Sora out. Get to your places, everyone!"

Donald and Goofy raced off to the Gummi Ship, but Aqua continued fighting. She wouldn't stop until she knew Sora and Kairi were safe.

"Aqua, c'mon! We've gotta go!" Ven tugged on her hand.

"Ven, wait!" She drew on his power to create the more powerful version of the chains that she'd made before with Kairi. It worked beautifully, as Ven had the same kind of heart that Kairi did. She gave her handiwork a satisfied nod. That would buy a little more time. She turned to go, but this time Ven was the one who stopped her.

"Vanitas— I need to talk to him—"

Aqua understood. In a way, Ven probably felt responsible for him. But there wasn't time.

"We have to go. I'm sure you'll see him again," she added, giving Vanitas a pointed look. He said nothing. Come to think of it, he'd been oddly quiet this whole fight. No taunting, no bragging. Just simple fighting. He was different. Maybe he really had changed.

"Vanitas," Ven said, "I—"

She cut him off, grabbing his arm and teleporting around their enemies and out of the room. He protested, but she didn't care. His safety came first. They had to get to Mickey's Gummi Ship. If they stayed any longer, they'd be captured. She could only hope everyone else would make it out, too.

* * *

"Kairi, use the Key on him! Hurry!"

Sora woke up to see the Key to Return Hearts poised right above his heart. Memories of what had happened when he'd saved Ven flooded his mind. Something clouded his vision, and his breath came in panicked gasps. Kairi was kneeling beside him, one hand wrapped around the Key and the other on his chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "There isn't time."

There was a loud beeping signaling a breach in the data realm. Riku was supporting Naminé with one arm and fighting off Berserker Nobodies with the other. Saïx was locked in combat with Lea. They really were out of time.

Sora had to do it. He put a trembling hand over Kairi's, and together they plunged the Key into his chest.

" _Roxas, now!"_ All Sora could think of was getting the Key out so he could free Roxas. He tried to sit up, but his face went pale, a pained cry escaping his lips. Kairi panicked, her eyes filled with fear as she caught him and lowered him back to the ground.

"Connect our hearts. _Now._ "

Sora did as she instructed. He felt better almost instantly, her magic repairing the damage and easing the pain. He sat up and put his hand over hers again. Together, they pulled the Key out. It didn't hurt nearly as badly as removing Ven's heart had.

He put the Key in his pocket and staggered to his feet. Kairi caught him before he fell, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and putting her arm around his waist to steady him. He leaned on her for support and summoned his Keyblade.

"Get away from Roxas!"

Saïx ignored him. He hoisted Roxas's newly formed body off the ground like he was a sack of potatoes. "We have need of him."

Roxas's eyes sprang open. "Ungh, where am I?" His eyes darted around and landed on Naminé. His expression softened when he saw her, and there was something unmistakably tender about the way he said her name.

"Roxas!" A look of sheer joy spread across her face before it turned into a cold glare directed at Saïx. "Let him go!"

"Or what, you'll cry?"

Naminé smiled sweetly. "You're connected to Sora now. You'll be the one who's crying as I take the memories in your heart apart, one by one. Now, let him go!"

Naminé could be terrifying, really, when she wanted to be. Saïx looked at her, considered the prospect of being undone, and fled.

"NO!" A Keyblade whizzed through the air and nailed Saïx in the face.

"Axel!" Roxas shouted.

Lea didn't even bother correcting him. He caught his Keyblade and jumped in after them just as the Corridor of Darkness Saïx had summoned closed. They all stared at it in horror.

"Oh no… Roxas…" Sora whispered.

Riku was the first to recover. "We've gotta get out of here. They're after you, too, Naminé." He readjusted his weight to get a better grip around her waist.

"But Roxas—" Naminé stared at the place where he'd disappeared.

"Lea's with him. He's in good hands."

Naminé finally relented, allowing Riku to lead her out of data realm and into the real world. Thankfully, her body was just as solid in real life as it had been inside of the simulation. Ansem the Wise should be happy, really. The experiment was a smashing success.

Riku led Naminé through a series of passages designed to keep out intruders, and Sora and Kairi followed close behind. They reached the Gummi Ship hangar and stumbled onto the ship where Donald and Goofy were waiting.

"Hang on everyone, we're taking off." Donald started up the ship, its engines stuttering as it lifted off the ground.

"Well hey there, Naminé," Goofy said, waving at her as if her miraculous return was nothing out of the ordinary. She smiled and waved back.

"Hi, Goofy. Long time no see."

"Where's everyone else? Are they okay?" Kairi asked.

"They're with King Mickey. He's getting them out on his Gummi Ship," Donald said. "The fighting was pretty bad. We held them off as long as we could, but they got through in the end. Sorry about that."

"What about Roxas?" Goofy asked.

Sora shifted uncomfortably. "Um…"

Riku sighed and put his face in his hands. "Saïx got him, but Lea chased after them. There was nothing we could do. They disappeared before we could stop them."

"Now don't beat yourself up about it, Riku," Goofy said. "I'm sure he'll be okay. Lea's not gonna let Saïx take him without a fight."

Kairi sighed. "You're right. I wouldn't want to be Saïx in that situation." She muttered something to herself, an instruction to Lea not to let Saïx take Roxas from them.

"We didn't even save the other girl yet," Sora said.

Everyone was silent. It was bad enough that they'd lost Roxas, but they hadn't even had time to rescue everyone. He hadn't forgotten about the other girl in all the chaos. And now they were going away from the very place she could be saved. He looked at Naminé. At least she was safe, for now. Truth be told, it would probably be worse if she fell into enemy hands than Roxas, considering her powers.

Her powers. Her powers over memory. Her powers to rewrite memories and reconnect ones that had been taken apart.

"Naminé?" he asked, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

She turned towards him. "Yes, Sora?"

"There's something we need your help with," Sora said. "There's this girl I saw in my heart. But no one knows who she is. Maybe… maybe we have memories of her, but we've just forgotten. Could you use your connection to me to check?"

Naminé nodded. "Of course. It's the least I can do." She closed her eyes and concentrated. They all waited with bated breath. "Yes, I can see the memories of her there inside your heart, Sora. But they need to be relinked. They're all scattered, like someone, or something, took them apart. And…" Her head turned to Riku beside her. "Riku has memories of her as well."

Riku sat up straighter. "I do?" His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to dredge up anything he could think of about the mysterious girl.

Naminé continued unperturbed. "And I think… I do, too." Her eyes flew open. "I can do it, Sora. It'll take far less time than it took to put you back together," she added with a wry smile, "especially if I hurry, but I'll still need time."

"We'll be safe once we reach Twilight Town," Donald said. "Take all the time you need when we get there."

"Twilight Town?" Kairi asked.

"Ansem the Wise's digital Twilight Town is there," Riku said. "It's the backup plan. We can access it from the real Twilight Town."

Hope surged through Sora. There was still a chance to save the other girl. He could only pray Lea would find Roxas and bring him back, too. He wouldn't rest until they were all safe. But for now he could only wait as Naminé reconnected the scattered memories in his heart of the other girl, one by one. It wouldn't be long now, before he could enact the final stage of his plan.

* * *

A/N: I was really looking forward to posting this chapter, so I'm glad the time has finally come to share it with you all! Rescuing Roxas and Naminé has been a part of this story since its earliest stages. I hope you enjoyed the way their rescue unfolded as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The scene with Roxas and Sora was inspired by the Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix art where they eat ice cream together. And Sora finally got to thank Naminé, just like he promised he would.

I'm curious though - those were some of my favorite moments from this chapter, but what were yours?

And just a quick note. One of the additional pairings I mentioned in the notes for the first chapter is going to receive some focus soon. Again, if you want to know what pairing it is ahead of time, feel free to send me a PM and I will be happy to tell you.

As always, thank you for reading!


	8. Chapter 8 - Conflict

Chapter 8 – Conflict

"Isa! You can't hide from me!" Even as Lea said the words, he feared he was wrong. He raced through an endless swirl of color, searching for where Isa had disappeared.

There. Up ahead. He went through the portal after them right before it closed. Neon lights blinked on the signs surrounding the familiar streets of The World That Never Was. Isa had stopped and thrown Roxas to the ground. They were surrounded by Nobodies, slinking and dancing and otherwise keeping Roxas from escaping.

"You're going to walk from here," Isa said dully.

Roxas glared up at him. "Are you kidding? What makes you think I'm coming with you?"

Lea smiled. It was good to see Roxas still had the same fight in him as ever.

"You don't have the Keyblade anymore. You're helpless without it."

Roxas staggered to his feet. "We'll see about that."

Lea clapped and approached them. "Well said, Roxas. And he might not have a Keyblade anymore, but guess who does?" He sent his flying, red-hot flames licking the air and taking out the Nobodies keeping Roxas trapped. Roxas darted out of the way, and Isa blocked the attack with his Claymore. When he looked at Lea, his golden eyes were blazing.

"You're choosing him over me again?! After all we've been through together? After all I did for you?!"

Lea caught his Keyblade. "I don't want to fight you, Isa. It doesn't have to be like this. Just let him go."

"No. I have my orders. I cannot disobey our master."

" _Our_ master?" Lea scoffed. "Speak for yourself. I'm through working for Xehanort. That goes for every version of him."

"You really think you can escape him that easily? You're naïve! You always have been!"

"Shut up!"

"Xehanort will have you in the end. He'll have you both."

That did it. Lea refused to let Roxas fall into their clutches again. He grabbed his jacket and tossed it to him.

"Roxas, get out of here." He guarded Isa's bludgeoning attack. Then he cast fire magic that completely surrounded Isa. There. That should buy them some time.

Roxas stayed rooted to the spot. "No, I won't leave without you!"

 _Tch, loyal as ever._ "You can't fight right now. Sora wants to give you a Keyblade of your own, but you have to actually talk to him for that to happen."

Roxas's eyes went wide. "He does?"

"Duh. We need all the help we can get in this fight. Sea salt ice cream's the key. Got it memorized? Now go!" Lea opened a portal and shoved Roxas through it.

 _I just have to distract Isa long enough for Roxas to escape. That's all._

He watched as Roxas's face disappeared amidst the swirl of black. _Godspeed, buddy._

* * *

"X… It started with an X…" Sora frowned and slumped against one of the lumpy couches in the Old Mansion. A cloud of dust puffed out of the sheet covering it, and Kairi and Riku coughed. The rest of the name just wouldn't come, no matter how hard he tried.

"You'll remember, just give it some time," Kairi said, trying to be encouraging.

Sora turned to Riku. "Do you remember?"

"Not yet. Naminé's doing her best," Riku replied. His voice was strained, his patience nearing its limit. To be fair, Sora _had_ been nagging him about it for a while, and Naminé really needed some rest—

A swirling cloud of darkness appeared before them, and they all jumped to their feet.

"Oh no!"

"How did they find us already?!"

A hooded figure emerged, the cloak it wore oddly big for its size. The hood fell away from its face, revealing a shock of spiky blond hair and piercing blue eyes. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"Roxas!" Sora tackled him with a full body hug. Thank goodness he was okay.

"Ooomph, not now!" Roxas said, untangling himself from Sora's embrace. Sora pouted but gave him his space. Roxas wasn't all that different from Riku when it came to physical affection.

 _Just who's Nobody were you, anyway? You act more like Riku than me sometimes._

"Are you okay?" Kairi asked. She looked behind him and frowned. "Where's Lea?"

"Oh, you mean Axel? That's why I'm here. He sent me back. He needs our help!" Roxas whirled on Sora. "Sora, I need a Keyblade, and quick!"

"Uh…" Sora turned helplessly to Riku. It was true, Sora was a Keyblade master now, but no one had ever sat him down and explained how to bequeath a Keyblade to someone else. That little detail had been overlooked in their rush to move on to the next stage of the plan. So had a lot of knowledge that Keyblade masters were supposed to be told, for that matter.

"In your hand, take this Key," Riku began.

"Hang on!" Sora said. He summoned his Keyblade and held it out to Roxas, who put his hand on it. Riku sighed and began again.

"In your hand, take this Key…"

"In your hand, take this Key," Sora repeated.

"So long as you have the makings…"

"So long as you have the makings…"

"…then through this simple act of taking…"

"…then through this simple act of taking…"

"…its wielder you shall one day be."

"Could we change that to right now?" Roxas asked.

"…its wielder you will be right now, because yes, we don't have time for this!" Sora said. "Roxas, I give you the power to wield the Keyblade. No heart is more worthy than yours. Now, champion your friends and fight for what is right!"

Roxas clutched his chest, a strange glow emanating from underneath his hand.

"That's a good sign, right?" Kairi said, chewing her lip.

"I think so," Sora replied. He'd never given anyone a Keyblade before, so it was hard to say.

"You guys go with him and provide backup," Riku said. "I'll let the others know what's going on."

The Corridor was still open, thankfully. Sora put his hood up, his clothing providing him protection from the darkness. Kairi didn't need it, with her natural immunity, and Roxas had what Sora assumed was Lea's cloak. Together the three of them went through the portal in search of their missing friend.

* * *

Lea panted and wiped his face, the flames from his latest attack finally dying down. "Isa, talk to me. Why are you still working for Xehanort? After we became human again, you should have been free from him."

"You understand nothing." Isa summoned a Corridor of Darkness, black smoke swirling behind him.

 _Stop him! You've got to stop him from leaving!_

Lea clicked his tongue. "Sounds an awful lot like something Xehanort would say." He casually twirled his Keyblade in his hand. Isa eyed it, and Lea grinned. He knew he had him. "Careful there. Your eyes might go back to their natural green."

The Corridor disappeared. "How did you of all people get a Keyblade?"

Lea swallowed. This was good. Isa was talking to him instead of attacking or leaving. Maybe he could get through to him. "You could have one too, you know. All you have to do is switch sides."

"No. I can't."

"Why not? I did. They're good people, Isa. I had to earn their trust, but I'm their friend now. Kairi even forgave me for kidnapping her. No one is beyond saving. Not even you."

Isa was silent. Lea let his Keyblade disappear and held out his hand. "C'mon, it'll be like the old days."

"I… I can't."

Lea's temper flared, and he clenched his fists at his side. He'd been so close to getting through to him. It was like there was this block in the way, stopping his efforts.

"It's because of Xehanort, isn't it? I know what happened to Terra. He's controlling you, too, isn't he? He's forcing you to do what he wants!"

Isa frowned, finally letting his Claymore clatter to the streets. "I… don't know..."

"Isa, listen to me. Riku knows how to fight off possession, or whatever it is that Xehanort's done to you. He can help, I know he can. You just have to come with me."

"I want a Keyblade of my own."

Lea nodded. "We can get you one." Whether that was true or not didn't matter. He needed Isa to come with him. That was the important thing.

Isa took a step towards him, and Lea offered his hand again.

"Come with me, Isa. Please. I want my friend back."

Isa inched his way forward. Their fingers were mere inches from touching.

 _Just – a little – closer—_

"Axel!"

Lea whirled around. Roxas was back. Kairi and Sora were with him, Keyblades in hand. Roxas summoned one, too, and Lea stared at it. The hilt was twisted into the Nobody's emblem. A seashell charm dangled off of it, and the blade was white with silver engravings. The teeth, checkered with black and white and red, formed the symbol for a heart.

So he finally had a Keyblade of his own. Man, Sora was good. And fast, too.

"Roxas! Sorry, buddy, but now's not really a good time," Lea said. Roxas looked from him to Isa, comprehension dawning on his face. But it was too late. The damage had already been done.

"You set me up! You traitor!" The look in Isa's eyes meant there was no getting through to him, but Lea tried anyway.

"No, Isa! This isn't what it looks like!"

Sora let his Keyblade disappear. "Isa, you—"

A group of Berserker Nobodies rushed Sora. He dove towards one of the Claymores they'd dropped. Kairi put a barrier around them, and Lea parried Isa's attack.

"I'm sorry."

"Too late for that. You never wanted to help me. You were just waiting for your backup to arrive."

"That's not true! I didn't know they were coming!"

Isa's Claymore caught him in the chest and sent him flying. He tumbled onto the streets and wound up slamming into one of the skyscrapers. Kairi was by his side in an instant, healing him as Roxas helped him to his feet.

"Let's see how you deal with this!" Roxas waved his hand in the air. One by one, a huge group of Nobodies appeared, each wielding multiple swords. They unsheathed them and attacked the Berserkers.

Kairi stared at them. "They're attacking the other Nobodies?!" Sure enough, these Nobodies were ignoring them and focusing on Isa's Nobodies instead. Nobody after Nobody crashed against the walls of the buildings as they struggled against each other. Some of them had even started attacking Isa himself.

"Woah!" Sora looked from them to Roxas. "These are your Nobodies, aren't they?"

Roxas nodded. "That'll buy us enough time. C'mon, let's get out of here!"

Lea summoned a Corridor, and Sora and Kairi disappeared through it. Roxas was about to go through, too, when he noticed Lea still standing there.

"Axel, c'mon! We have to go!"

Lea looked from Roxas to Isa. He had a choice to make, one he knew might affect the outcome of this war. He didn't want to lose himself. He didn't want to become one of Xehanort's pawns, forced to fight all his new friends. But he wanted to save Isa, and the only way to do that was to regain his trust. And the only way to regain his trust was to stay with him.

But then Roxas's voice broke through his thoughts. "Axel, please! I just got you back. I can't lose you again!"

Sometimes, having a heart just plain sucked. Lea's was torn between his longstanding loyalty to Isa and his desire to be with Roxas. And Kairi and Sora too, and all of the other people he'd met because of them. They were all his friends now, and it wouldn't be right to abandon them.

Lea looked at Isa again, hoping he'd understand.

"Go with him. Go with your _friend_ ," Isa spat.

Lea jumped into the portal after Roxas and turned to face Isa one last time. "Isa, I'll always come back for you. I promise."

The last image he saw as the portal closed was Isa's eyes. For the briefest of moments, they flickered green. That alone almost made him turn back. But then Roxas grabbed one of his hands, and Kairi the other, and he knew where he belonged. At least for now.

Kairi's grip on his hand tightened. "Lea, I'm so sorry, we thought—"

"It's okay. You were just trying to protect me."

"This is all my fault," Roxas whispered, hanging his head.

Lea let go of their hands so he could put his on Roxas's shoulders. "Hey, wipe that frown off your face. You were awesome back there. You've even got your own Keyblade now. Thanks to Sora, right?" He glanced at him, eyebrow raised, and Sora nodded.

"Guess that means you're my apprentice now, huh?" Sora said.

Roxas finally smiled. "Guess so. But there's a thing or two I could teach you about fighting."

"Hey now!" Sora crossed his arms, but his lips were twitching. Roxas laughed – _how long has it been since I've heard him laugh?_ – and Sora burst into a smile.

Lea grinned and ruffled Roxas's hair. "That's the Roxas I know. Welcome back, buddy."

Kairi cleared her throat. "Here, I want to try this again," she said. "The first time, I kinda brushed you off." She rubbed the back of her neck and gave Roxas an awkward smile. "Sorry about that. It's nice to meet you again, Roxas." She offered her hand, and he shook it.

"Nice to meet you too, girl-that-Sora-likes," Roxas said, a sly smile on his face.

 _Oh you little troll._ His words had their intended effect, though – Kairi giggled and looked at Sora, whose face was slowly turning a deeper shade of red. He turned and glared at Roxas.

"Thanks a lot for that, by the way. You spilled the beans before I had the chance to tell her myself."

Roxas rolled his eyes and laughed. "It was obvious. Something tells me she already knew."

"I did," Kairi replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Sora turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "You figured that out, but you couldn't even remember my name?"

Maybe he was trying to tease her, but the hurt look Kairi struggled to hide had Lea almost consider telling Sora it was his fault. He was the one who'd marched right through the front doors of a place called Castle _Oblivion_ , after all. Not always the brightest one, was he? But it didn't seem right to interfere, and Kairi could stick up for herself just fine. Which she did.

"Hey, sometimes the feelings are there even when the memories are gone," she said. "I may have forgotten your name, but I could never forget what you mean to me."

Such a declaration would normally have gotten a happier reaction, but Sora's response was strangely aloof.

 _Huh. Seems like they still haven't sorted through whatever was bothering them back at Disney Castle._ Once again, Lea bit his tongue. If Kairi wanted to talk to him about it, she would.

"Yeah," Roxas said, a heaviness to his tone. But why he was sad, and why Lea felt the same way – neither of them could say.

"Well, anyway," Kairi continued, "we should get going." She gave Lea a concerned look. "Since you don't have any protection against the darkness right now and all."

Roxas examined the people around him. "Thanks, guys. It's… it's good to be here."

"Good to have you back," Lea said. And he meant it, with all his heart.

* * *

When they arrived back at the Old Mansion, Kairi pulled Axel aside to repair any damage traveling through the darkness might have caused him, leaving Sora and Roxas to themselves. Roxas took a moment to look around. He'd had no time to pay attention to his surroundings when he'd first come back here.

The place looked as run-down as ever, broken furniture littering the foyer. The digital version he'd been stuck in for a week had done a pretty good job of capturing the, uh, charm of the place.

"We chose this as our new hideout?" he asked Sora, then shook his head and grinned. "You know, I'm beginning to think you like hanging out in dumps."

Sora turned around, his eyebrow raised, then saw the teasing smile on Roxas's face and returned it.

For so long he'd wanted to meet Sora. It still felt unreal, that they were here together. No longer did they have to fight for control over Sora's body. Instead they could stand side by side as friends.

Sora really was something. He'd refused to listen to all the people who'd told him Roxas didn't deserve to exist and had found a way to make it happen instead. And not only that. He'd gotten enough people to help that saving Roxas went from being a mere possibility to becoming a reality.

Roxas could only hope he would be as good a friend to Sora as Sora had been to him.

"Roxas!"

Roxas looked up. Standing there at the top of the stairs, leaning over the rickety-looking railing as if she hardly cared if it gave out and sent her tumbling to the ground so long as it brought them closer together, was Naminé.

Warmth flooded his chest. Sora had been the one to make all this possible, but Naminé had always been there for him when he needed her. And now she was here again, and there was so much to say and not enough words to say it in.

He looked to Sora for help.

 _What are you waiting for, dummy? You don't have to say a single thing. Just go to her._ Roxas jolted. Sora's voice was there inside his head, and it took him a moment to realize Sora hadn't said a single thing out loud. As Roxas put it all together, Sora's grin lit up his entire face.

 _Right._ Roxas turned back to Naminé. She smiled, and his heart fluttered because as corny as it was, he couldn't help but think she sort of looked like an angel, the way her golden hair framed her soft features and violet eyes.

Well, in a way he supposed she sort of was. Popping in and out of the digital Twilight Town to tell him what was really happening. Appearing in his heart dive to pull him out of the darkness. Seeing him as he truly was so that they could talk to each other when Sora and Kairi had finally been reunited.

She was always looking out for him. And now she was really, truly here. He could reach her without having to go through Sora and Kairi first. It was with that thought that his legs carried him up the stairs and closed the distance between them at long last.

His arms went around her, and when she hugged him back, it felt even nicer than he'd imagined.

"Welcome back, Roxas," she said when the hug was over, giving him the most angelic smile.

This mansion might be a dump, but it was where it had all began. If he and Naminé had a home, this was it. So it was with complete sincerity that he replied, "It's good to be home, Naminé."

* * *

A/N: The Nobodies Roxas summons in this chapter are called Samurai Nobodies, and they are indeed controlled by him. While he isn't technically a Nobody anymore, I figured he might still be able to control them because of the nature of his past existence. Plus it adds a unique combat style to the mix.

Whether Roxas would still be able to wield a Keyblade or not is something that hasn't really come up in canon yet to my knowledge, so I figured I would have Sora make it official. That way Roxas could get a unique Keyblade based off of his own heart instead of Sora's.

Also, since we don't know what said Keyblade might look like, I came up with a design of my own. The Japanese character for heart 心 makes up the teeth of the Keyblade, much like the character for light 光 makes up the teeth for Oathkeeper and darkness 闇 for Oblivion.

As always, thank you for reading!

SPOILER WARNING

Please read no further if you want to avoid spoilers, but one of the other pairings that will be featured throughout the story consists of...

SPOILER WARNING

SPOILER WARNING

SPOILER WARNING

... the two characters who were reunited at the end of this chapter. Unfortunately FFN limits the number of characters I can tag and I didn't want to spoil their return in the summary, so in the end I decided to mention the actual pairing itself in the author's notes instead.


	9. Chapter 9 - Reluctance

Chapter 9 – Reluctance

Arriving back in Twilight Town went smoothly in comparison to all the excitement that had led up to it. That is, until Roxas came face to face with Ven for the first time. Naminé had to stifle a giggle as she looked between the two of them. They really were like mirror images of each other.

"Who are you?" Roxas demanded, a bewildered expression on his face.

Ven laughed and offered his hand. "You must be Roxas. Nice to meet you. I'm Ventus, but my friends all call me Ven."

Roxas stared at Ven's hand. "Why—"

"Do you have my face? Though I guess for you, it's more like _why does he have my face_ , right?"

Roxas nodded.

"It's a long story, but I was inside Sora's heart for years. My heart stayed there when Sora became a Heartless, so my appearance shaped yours." He raised an eyebrow. "I mean, didn't you ever wonder why you don't look like Sora? You kinda do, but the resemblance isn't identical."

"Oh." Roxas took a moment to process this information. "Is that why Naminé has blonde hair, too?" He glanced at Naminé, his expression softening. "I mean, she was sorta Kairi's Nobody, but she's not a perfect match, either…"

"Yup! Now you're catching on." He offered his hand again. This time, Roxas shook it.

"Nice to meet you, uh…"

"Ven."

"Nice to meet you, Ven."

"Nice to meet you too, Roxas."

And that was that. Roxas still seemed a bit spooked, but he took well to Ven. All things considered, he'd gotten the better end of the doppelganger deal. From the sounds of it, Sora's was kind of crazy, and Riku's wasn't much better. Naminé had felt a stab of guilt at the news that the Riku Replica was still around, and it had taken a lot of careful explaining to a very confused Sora to fill him in on what had happened.

Naminé was lucky they trusted her. She had the power to unravel all of their memories and reduce them to empty shells of themselves, and yet they were treating her like a friend.

That drove her to work even harder at bringing back everyone's memories of that girl Sora kept talking about instead, the one that brought Lea a strange pain every time she was mentioned. Roxas didn't remember her name, or who she was, but he at least could describe what she looked like. Naminé found herself nodding off more and more often, but she insisted on continuing, taking breaks only to rest and eat.

Her heart seemed to be holding to her new body okay, as was Roxas's, though Ansem the Wise still insisted on monitoring them, just to be sure. She had to give it to him. Not only had he been instrumental in rescuing them, he'd insisted on continuing to help them and had even apologized for the way he'd treated them before.

It wasn't long before he called a group meeting with everyone. They gathered in the dusty dining hall of the Old Mansion, sitting on various couches and chairs dragged in from where they could find them. Some were broken or lumpy, like the rest of the mysteriously damaged mansion, but they got the job done.

Naminé sat next to Roxas, and the two of them were cushioned next to Sora and Kairi. With so many people on the couch, Naminé had to sit very close to Roxas indeed, so much so that their legs were touching. But Roxas didn't seem to mind, not at all. And truth be told, Naminé didn't, either. It was a nice feeling, sitting next to him and knowing she didn't have to go through Kairi and Sora first to reach him.

When talk switched to their roles in the upcoming conflict, Roxas was ready and willing to fight, and Sora assigned to train him. But Naminé was a different story.

"I want to help, but… I don't know how much of a fighter I'll make." She pressed her fingers together the way she always did when she was explaining something. "I don't think I'm suited to that kind of thing."

She knew better than to think she would make some kind of great warrior. She was… well, pretty frail, to be honest. There was no getting around that. Her greatest powers were over the heart and mind, not the body.

"Kairi has a Keyblade," Ansem the Wise pointed out. "It stands to reason you could have one too. We have several qualified masters in this very room who could perform the ceremony."

Naminé chewed on her lip. "I suppose… I should at least learn how to defend myself."

"Naminé," Kairi began, and Naminé looked at her expectantly. "You've got other powers too. Could you use those?"

"My powers over memory, you mean?"

Kairi nodded. "So long as someone's connected to Sora, they work, right?"

Naminé's fingers balled into fists pressed against her legs. "Yes, but… I don't… I don't want to undo anyone ever again." She closed her eyes. "Please, don't ask me to."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Where did that threat to Saïx come from, then?"

"Oh…" Her face flushed. "Well, I couldn't just let him take you from us. If I had to, I suppose I could use my powers against our enemies, but…"

It was one thing to fight someone, another to pull them apart from the inside, piece by piece, unchaining the memories in their heart till there was nothing left but an empty shell.

"What if you didn't use your powers to do that?" Kairi asked. "What if you used them to strengthen the connections in people's hearts instead? Many of the Seekers have people they love. Or used to love. Some of them even have direct connections to us. Lea and Isa. Ven and Vanitas. Terra and Aqua. Maybe… Maybe if they remembered, it would break the hold Xehanort has on them."

Naminé pursed her lips. "It's worth trying. I'd have to be nearby, but I think I could do it."

Roxas smiled. "I'm sure you could. You were there for me when I was trying to figure out who I was."

Naminé's gaze traveled to her lap, because the way Roxas was looking at her right now was making it difficult to pay attention to anyone else. There was more talk that she tried to pay attention to, and in the end, she agreed to undergo basic Keyblade training with Riku once she'd finished restoring everyone's memories of the mysterious girl. She stressed that she mainly just wanted to learn how to defend herself. Unlike everyone else in the group, she had no actual fighting experience, and she was well aware of her limitations.

They received word from Yen Sid that the Princesses of Heart were still safely hidden. Originally he'd wanted them to be relocated, but going to them now ran too high a risk of detection, so he'd decided to keep them where they were.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy returned to Disney Castle to repair the damage and bring its citizens home, and Ven and Aqua went on an intel-gathering mission to figure out where Terra might be being held captive.

Naminé listened as Sora, Kairi, and Riku said goodbye to them in the main hall.

"You think you might find him?" Sora asked, his eyes bright. "Aqua, Ven, that's great! Maybe if he sees both of you, that'll be enough to help him break Xehanort's control for good!"

"Yeah. It's worth a shot, anyway," Ven said.

"If you guys do find him, let us know as soon as possible," Riku said. "I know what it's like to fight the darkness for control of yourself, and I want to help him."

The time was coming to launch the mission to rescue him, after all, but that required actually knowing where he was, so off they went. Everyone else remained in Twilight Town, training and preparing for the upcoming battle while Naminé continued her work.

* * *

Naminé rested her head in her hands. She was back in her old haunt, the White Room. Her pictures were scattered along the wall and table. The new sketchpad and pencils Sora, Kairi, and Riku had given her had gotten plenty of use already.

It felt good to draw again, to take the ideas floating around in her mind and give them physical form. The links binding people's hearts together – she could see them so clearly. Sora could, too, and had even figured out how to access them, but he was a rare exception. So Naminé's art was her way of showing the world the vast universe inside her mind.

Her task at hand, though, was to fulfill Sora's request. She and Riku weren't the only ones with unchained memories of the mysterious girl he'd spoken of. Roxas and Lea had memories of her, too. Putting those memories back together, on top of the ones she and Riku had, would take time.

And there was something else. Naminé knew it shouldn't be a big deal, but the thoughts came to her unbidden anyway. She had finally found a friend in Roxas, and if she was being completely honest with herself, hopefully something more. But what would happen when the mysterious girl came back? He had the most memories of her, the strongest ones. In Naminé's mind's eye, she could picture them as she linked them back together, one by one.

Would he still want to be her friend once he'd gotten his old friend back?

 _Don't be silly, Naminé. He can have more than one friend_.

But even as she tried to reason with herself, doubt made its way inside her heart. This girl was clearly important to Roxas, and nothing Naminé could do would change that.

Unless…

No. A sick feeling crawled into her stomach at the thought even entering her mind. She'd sworn she would never use her powers again to undo someone, to make them forget. So she diligently strung more memories together, even as her heart and mind were filled with anxiety.

What if… what if she really would lose Roxas? What if this girl's return meant they would grow apart?

Just like Sora remembering Kairi had lost Naminé the one friend she'd finally made.

 _I just… I don't want to be alone again._

* * *

"It's okay, we can try again."

Riku was infinitely patient. Naminé had agreed to take a break to create a Keyblade of her own, but it wasn't working. She'd tried, over and over again, only for her hands to grasp thin air each time.

She lowered her arms and clasped them behind her back. "No, it's alright. I think my heart can tell I don't really want to fight."

Riku paused to wipe the sweat from his brow. The twilight sun was surprisingly warm, shining down on the two of them as they tried to get Naminé's heart to cooperate in the courtyard of the Old Mansion.

"Don't think of it as fighting," Riku said. "Think of it as protecting the people you love instead." He summoned his own Keyblade and held it out for her to see. "This is a tool. On its own, it isn't good or bad. It's what I do with it that matters. Kind of like your powers."

Naminé pursed her lips. "I'm not sure my powers _are_ good."

Riku studied her for a long moment, then let his Keyblade disappear. "Alright, break time. We're going for a walk."

They strolled through the woods by the Old Mansion. The pine needles formed a fragrant carpet beneath their feet, and dappled light shone through the trees. It was nice to be outside for once, instead of trapped in a cold, sterile building. Not that the Old Mansion was either of those things, but being outdoors was a different feeling altogether from being inside.

"Naminé, what's your happiest memory?" Riku asked.

"My... happiest memory?"

Her life had been very short so far. And… there hadn't been much good in it. But that made her cherish the few good things even more. Sora's many moments of kindness, Kairi's unconditional acceptance, Riku helping her escape from Ansem the Wise…

But the times she'd been completely happy, without a trace of the bittersweet melancholy that plagued even moments like Sora thanking her, were her reunions with Roxas. Well, at least before. Even they brought her no comfort now, knowing they might grow apart when his friend came back.

"Riku, I don't know if I really have any," she finally said. "Even my happy memories are sad now."

He frowned. "Sad? Why is that?"

"You… you can't tell anyone else what I'm about to tell you. Promise?" She held out her pinkie, and he solemnly hooked his around hers.

"Promise."

He settled against a pine tree and crossed his arms, waiting for her to speak again.

"The thing is… I've found something, about the girl Sora told us about. The memories Roxas has of her… well, I think she was someone very important to him."

"Someone very important to him, huh? I wonder what made him forget her, then."

"I don't know. But he'll remember her soon. And when he does… he'll… he'll…" She turned away from Riku to try to compose herself. It wouldn't do to start crying in front of him.

Riku touched her arm. "Naminé, what's wrong?" he asked gently. His kindness was too much, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"He'll forget me," she choked out.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because… because the same thing happened with Sora." She hated how pitiful her voice sounded. She hated how petty and jealous she was.

"Naminé, look at me."

She turned back around. His eyes were beautiful in the twilight, their natural aquamarine brilliant against the soft golds and yellows and pinks that shone through the trees in dappled patterns of light. And the soft and tender look he was giving her – she couldn't help but pay attention to what he was about to say.

"Sora's decision to remember Kairi and forget you doesn't say anything about you as a person," he said. "The only girl for him has always been Kairi."

"Yes, but—"

"And I bet Roxas will still want to be your friend, even after the other girl comes back. You're not even giving him the chance. You've just made up his mind for him already."

Naminé considered this. It was possible what he was saying was true, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it.

"And if he doesn't?" she asked, her voice small.

Riku wore a very serious expression. "Tell you what, you can come to me if that happens. I'm not the best with feelings, but I am pretty good at listening."

Naminé smiled sadly. "You say that, and yet here you are, trying to comfort me."

Riku shrugged. "Guess it helps that I have a complete sap for a best friend."

"Guess so."

"I mean it though," he continued, his voice earnest in a way that reminded her of Sora. "You can come talk to me whenever."

"Thank you, Riku."

"Anytime." He straightened. "Now what do you say we try summoning your Keyblade again?"

* * *

"How did I summon my Keyblade for the first time?" Kairi repeated. She set down the book she was reading and tapped her temple. "Hmmm… I guess I just wanted to protect Sora so badly that it answered my call. Well, that and Riku helped me."

Naminé frowned. She still wasn't having any luck summoning her Keyblade, despite all of Riku's help. During one of her breaks, she'd stolen away to ask Kairi for advice. She'd found her in the library, studying books about the ancient Keyblade War in the hopes it would help them prepare for the upcoming conflict.

"Here, sit," Kairi said, patting the chair next to her. Naminé complied, and Kairi rested her chin on her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Who do you want to protect?"

That was easy enough to answer. "Roxas. But he doesn't really need my help anymore, does he?"

"What makes you say that? I know I'll never be a match for Sora physically, but his heart needs protecting as much as his body. That's where I come in. He always used to tell me that I'm his light in the darkness."

There was a wistfulness to Kairi's tone that didn't escape Naminé's notice.

"What do you mean, used to?" she asked.

Kairi fidgeted with the book. "Oh, um, I mean, he still tells me that."

"Kairi, when was the last time?"

Kairi paused and hung her head. "It's… it's been a while."

Naminé frowned. It couldn't be that Sora's feelings for Kairi had changed. That seemed about as likely as Xehanort promising never to hurt anyone again. She quickly checked just to make sure. As she suspected, the links between Sora and Kairi were still there, there was just something straining them. Some kind of tension pulling on both sides.

Should she tell Kairi, or...

"He's been aloof lately. I can't get him to tell me what's bothering him." Kairi sighed and put her head in her hands. "Something's eating away at him, and I don't know what it is. I don't know how to help him."

Naminé felt a pang of guilt. Sora was pushing Kairi away for some reason, and what he was doing was hurting her. How was what she was doing to Roxas any different? The more memories she recovered of the mysterious girl, the harder she found it to be around him. It had gotten to the point where she could hardly even talk to him anymore. He was so busy training with Sora that he hadn't noticed yet, but he was bound to pick up on her behavior eventually.

She put a sympathetic hand on Kairi's shoulder to get her mind off of her own problems. "Kairi, I think he's happy just to have you with him."

"That's what he says, but it still doesn't feel like it's good enough."

"I know I'm not really one to talk," Naminé finally said, "but maybe you should confront him about it."

"Yeah." Kairi sighed, then smiled sadly at her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to involve you in all this. You came to me for help, but you ended up helping me in the end." She placed her hand on top of Naminé's. "And about your Keyblade, it'll happen when it's meant to happen. I didn't summon mine for the first time till more than ten years after Aqua first gave me the ability. I mean, it was an accident on her end, but still. I'd say you're doing just fine."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Kairi." She stood.

"Off to go train some more?"

"No. I need to keep working on everyone's memories."

Kairi's eyebrows knotted. "Don't push yourself too hard, okay? I know it must be a lot of work, putting so many people's memories back together."

"I won't."

Naminé didn't mention that the real emotional toll came from knowing that with each memory she recovered, Roxas was that much closer to remembering the person who was truly important to him. It didn't matter what Riku had said. What place would Naminé have in his life once she returned?

 _Better hurry up and finish the job, before I have the chance to spoil his happiness._

 _Because… more than anything, I just want him to be happy._

* * *

A/N: Since Sora and Riku are both Keyblade masters in this story, I figured they would eventually get students of their own. I wanted Riku's character arc in particular to involve him passing on what he's learned to someone else. It feels like a natural evolution of his character development in the games.

And a couple of my readers wondered if, in the last chapter, Sora has a special connection to Roxas because Roxas was his Nobody. What I actually intended with that scene was for it to be another example of Sora's developing powers - the same powers he used to contact Kairi near the end of Dear Sora and to try to save Terra earlier in this story. Anyone he has a connection to he can theoretically link hearts with and talk to in this manner, and the more he uses this ability the more powerful it becomes.

It's not officially in the games or anything, but Sora does like to go around saying he has the power to connect hearts, so I wanted to explore what that might actually look like. That ability will play an important role in this very story, in fact. But I do still like the idea that he and Roxas have a special connection, as do Kairi and Naminé. I may try to do something with that yet.

As always, thank you for reading and leaving me feedback! It's always great to hear from you. Have a good week!


	10. Chapter 10 - Healing

Chapter 10 – Healing

Xi. Her name started with Xi. Lea and Roxas had been having strange headaches lately that corresponded with the returning memories. They were both bedridden, and Riku and Naminé were faring only slightly better. To her infinite credit, Naminé continued tirelessly on, refusing to let anything stop her from completing her task.

Sora alone was unaffected, which was odd, because he could picture the girl in his head and knew the first part of her name now, too.

"Hey, Roxas?" he asked his friend.

"Unnggh, what is it?" Roxas moaned. "My head's killing me."

"I almost forgot, this is for you." Sora fished the blue crystal orb Riku had given him out of his pocket and tossed it to Roxas – his welcome back present. Roxas winced but managed to catch it, his eyes going wide as he realized what it was.

"Where'd you get this?"

"Riku gave it to me."

Roxas cracked a grin, then winced again. "Oh yeah. I remember when he stole it from me."

"Sorry about that," Riku muttered. He was on guard duty in the corner, as he was less affected than Lea and Roxas and his student was otherwise occupied.

Roxas struggled to sit up, and Sora helped him. His eyes went to the bandage Riku still wore around his wrist.

"Your hand didn't heal right."

Riku looked down at his wrist. He coughed, and Sora's heart sank as he put two and two together.

"Oh, that," Riku said. "Listen, Roxas, it isn't a big deal—"

"Yes it is. Doesn't it affect how you fight?"

Riku shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."

"I know how it got injured," Sora said. "Riku, before I got Roxas's memories, I had no idea—"

Riku shot Roxas a glare. "That was intentional. I didn't want you to find out."

Roxas looked from Sora to Riku, who was wearing a very disgruntled expression.

"Riku," Roxas said, "can you come here a second?"

Riku kept his eyes on Sora but did as Roxas requested. He and Sora were having an entire conversation like Roxas wasn't even there.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sora asked, not even bothering to hide the hurt in his voice.

"You were moping enough as it was. You didn't need to find out about this too."

"Fine, but why didn't you ever heal it then? Or if you couldn't do it yourself, you could have asked Kairi or Aqua to do it for you. You know they would have."

Sora didn't understand. Why would Riku purposely keep an injury that affected the way he fought?

He stared Riku down until Riku finally sighed and relented. "I wanted to keep the reminder, okay? I wouldn't change what I did, but I went too far to save you. I can't do something like that again."

Sora didn't know what to say to that. He didn't blame Riku for what he'd done, but knowing the price, he wasn't sure he would've paid it, had he been in Riku's shoes.

"I broke it, so I should fix it," Roxas said, reminding him he was still there. He looked to Riku for permission, then touched his wrist, his Cure spell working its way up the improperly healed bone. Riku hissed as the magic corrected the injury, but otherwise stayed still. When Roxas was finished, Riku rubbed the wrist and tested it out. He summoned his Keyblade and swung it around.

"Huh. Would you look at that. Good as new." He smiled at Roxas, and Sora wondered if it was for the first time. From what Sora could gather, he and Roxas hadn't exactly been on good terms before.

Sora turned to Roxas. _Thank you,_ he mouthed, and Roxas smiled.

It was good to see old injuries be healed and former enemies come together. Speaking of injuries, though, he still had something to ask Kairi. He had to know, even though he'd carefully avoided her for the last few days.

It hadn't actually been that difficult to do. They'd both been so busy lately that they hadn't had any time to themselves. He doubted she even noticed the distance he was trying to put between the two of them.

She did. When he found her in the courtyard and asked her to go on a walk, her response was curt and crisp.

"Oh, you decided to talk to me today?"

"Kairi—" He reached towards her, but she flinched away. That hurt worse than if she'd outright slapped him.

"I thought you were still upset about me forgetting you, even though none of that was my fault," she snapped. "Don't give me that look, Naminé showed me everything. I know she was the one who made me forget you."

Sora felt the color drain from his face. "You're not… angry at her, are you?"

Kairi shook her head. "She was forced to do it. And she put you back together again. How could I be angry with her, after everything she's done for us?"

Well, at least they could agree on that. "Good, because I don't blame her either," Sora said. "And Kairi… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for bringing it up again. I know it wasn't your fault that you forgot me." He reached out to her again, but she backed away and looked at him in a way she never had before.

"Sora, I don't understand. What did I do? Why have you been treating me like this? One minute you're as warm and caring as ever, and the next, you're cold and aloof. I don't know what to think anymore!"

At the sight of her face all scrunched up, Sora felt his resolve crumbling, piece by piece. Especially because her lower lip was trembling and her fists were balled at her sides, too.

He'd never wanted to make her cry.

"You haven't done anything wrong," he mumbled, his eyes fixed on his shoes.

"Has something changed, then? If your feelings for me have changed, just tell me!" she pleaded, grabbing onto his arms. "I'd rather know the truth than—"

Something inside of him snapped, some combination of her words and how close they were, perhaps. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

"The truth? Do you really think, after everything we've been through together, that my feelings for you have _changed_?"

Heck no. If anything, they'd only grown deeper. It overwhelmed him sometimes, how intense they were, how even the thought of losing her was enough to make him come completely undone.

After he'd transformed into Anti-Form again, he wondered if his feelings for her bordered on obsession. He was scared of himself and what he might do if he were pushed to the brink again, but most of all he was scared of hurting her.

 _Too late for that, idiot,_ he thought glumly.

"So you still…" She swallowed. "You still…"

"Yes." He couldn't hide the truth from her, and he wanted to hear it from her, too. "What about you?" he asked. "Do you still…"

Ugly thoughts of her easygoing friendship with Lea and even Riku flared up again, and he shoved them down, only for them to pop back up with greater force.

"Well…" she said, clasping her hands behind her back, and Sora's heart froze.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" he asked, all too quickly.

Kairi looked at him as if he was crazy. "Sora, what? Who would I even—"

He crossed his arms. "I don't know, you tell me." The ugly green monster inside of him was on a rampage, unable to be contained anymore.

Maybe he should let it loose.

No, what was he thinking? He couldn't do that. He didn't want to do that. That would only make things a million times worse.

"I can't believe you," Kairi said, her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flaring. "Do you actually think that I—" She stopped and took a deep breath, lowering her hands to her sides and unclenching her fists.

"No, I don't." Sora said. "I just—"

Comprehension flickered in her eyes, and Sora's face burned.

"You're jealous," she said. "You're actually jealous." She laughed, but there was no joy in the sound. "Of who, Riku?" She made a face, like she couldn't believe what she was about to say. "Lea?"

He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye after that.

"Sora, trust me. You have no reason to be jealous, not now, not ever."

"I know," he said, hanging his head. "But jealousy isn't very reasonable."

She took a step towards him. "Sora, my feelings haven't changed, either. What I was going to say is, I want to make this work." At this he breathed a sigh of relief, only for her to continue. "But I'm worried about you. What's wrong?"

He took a step back, his arms falling to his sides. The relief he felt quickly gave way to defeat. "I can't… I can't tell you."

Until he was sure he wouldn't have to go through with his plan, he couldn't say anything. But it was difficult to continue keeping this from her.

 _How can she look at me like that? Even now, she's trying to reach me, and I'm just pushing her away._

She sighed and kicked a clump of grass at her feet. "This again, huh? Is this about your darkness? Is this because you're afraid of transforming into your Heartless form again and hurting me?"

"Yes." He couldn't look her in the eye again, because it was the truth, but not the whole truth.

"Promise me you'll talk to Riku about it, if you won't talk to me," she said.

 _Because she thinks I'd rather talk to Riku than her._ That stung.

"Kairi, why do you keep trying to drag Riku into this?"

She tugged at a strand of her hair. "Well… he's your best friend. You're open with him in ways you aren't with me." She held up a hand before he could interrupt her. "I'm not blaming you, it's just the way it is."

"You do realize a lot of that is because of my feelings for you, right? It's hard to talk to someone when you're stuttering and blushing every time you try," he muttered.

"But we've moved past that," Kairi said. "That was true when all of this started, but…"

"What, you don't still get weak in the knees every time you see me?"

Because Sora sure did. His words were an attempt at lightening the mood, but really, they were more a projection of his own feelings than anything. Every time she walked in the room, she was the only person he could focus on. Sometimes that was dangerous, like that time the Heartless had jumped him, but he wouldn't trade how he felt when he saw her for anything. The butterflies in his stomach, the warmth in his chest, the lightheadedness, the way his heart sped up when she looked his way… all worth it.

She cupped his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. His body was acting on its own, refusing to come into line with what he'd set his mind to do.

She noticed, of course, and gave him a rueful smile. "You're really bad at hiding your feelings. You know that, right?"

"Yeah." Thankfully, he didn't have to hide them from her; just what he might have to do.

"Give me your jacket," she said all of a sudden.

"What?"

"I said, give me your jacket. I'm cold."

"Oh, okay." He shrugged it off and handed it to her, deciding it was best not to point out that it was still warm outside. She put it on, and he had to admit, it was nice seeing her wear his clothes. And he didn't miss the way her eyes lingered on him either, now that his jacket was no longer there to hide the fact that his shirt kinda showed off his muscles.

Well, more than just kinda. Their eyes met, and she cleared her throat. "So, how about that walk?"

They strolled through the woods around the mansion, talking about everything but what was truly bothering him. All the same, he was relieved that she hadn't dumped him, even though he would've deserved it if she had. What he was keeping from her was coming between them and festering, poisoning their relationship and driving them apart. And yet here she kept on trying to reach him, refusing to give up on him until she had.

Sora sighed. He didn't deserve her.

He waited as she climbed a nearby tree, then followed after her once she was settled into its branches.

 _When was the last time we got to do that?_ Back home, they'd climbed paopu and palm trees all the time and swung around from their branches. Sora had had entire conversations with Kairi upside down before, which had earned him the nickname Monkey from Riku there for a while. He missed those carefree days, when their biggest worry was their parents calling them home early for dinner.

He made it to the same branch and settled in beside her. The question that had prompted this entire conversation still hadn't been asked, and he wanted to know the answer.

"Kairi, you never told me. When I took Naminé out of your heart, why didn't you do what you did for me? You could have spared yourself all that pain, but you didn't."

She fumbled with the necklace around her neck, carefully avoiding his gaze. "Do you really want to know?" she asked. He put a hand under her chin and lifted it so that their eyes met.

"Yes."

She swallowed. "Don't judge me, okay? I just… I wanted to know what it felt like. When you saved me, I mean."

She flinched as she waited for his reaction.

"Kairi…" Was that really why? Screw the isolation plan, which was rapidly falling to pieces anyway, he couldn't take this anymore. He gathered her in his arms, and she hugged him back. Geez, he'd missed this. He'd missed her.

"You know I'd do it again, right?" he whispered. "You mean everything to me." His heart pounded against her cheek, sure and steady as the day she'd restored him to the human race. He ignored the voice screaming in the back of his head, telling him this was not the way to protect her feelings. He had no business continuing along this path. He shouldn't start something he couldn't finish. But he didn't care. He couldn't push her away anymore.

"Sora…" She looked up into his eyes, and he knew what she wanted him to do.

And oh, did he want to. It would be the perfect way to bring them closer. But the voice in his head was raging now, berating him for putting his feelings above hers _._ Everything he did now would just make the pain worse later. Until he was sure his plan was unnecessary, he couldn't act on his feelings.

He rested his chin on her head, partly as an affectionate gesture, but partly so that she couldn't see the turmoil that was probably being broadcast loud and clear from his eyes. She, in turn, rested her head against his chest again, pulling his jacket tight around her and sighing. He brushed his fingers through her hair and sighed, too, but for a very different reason. It was taking every ounce of self-control he had not to act on his feelings. Since when did longing feel so much like frustration?

She tilted her head and kissed the area above his heart. It was the exact place where the Keyblade of Heart had gone through. When she looked up into his eyes, he almost fell out of the tree. His shirt still protected the spot, thankfully, because the thought of her lips on his bare skin was too much to handle. His heart was racing enough as it was, and he wondered if she could feel it pounding beneath her fingertips. His mind could protest all it wanted, but his heart and body refused to lie to her.

He was lucky she hadn't tried much of anything yet. Almost as if she could sense something was holding him back, and out of respect for his wishes, had chosen to hold herself back, too. And it was a good thing she had. If not, he wouldn't be able to restrain himself any longer.

"Thank you," she whispered, and Sora knew he was screwed. He could either stay close and spare her feelings now, or distance himself and spare them later. Either way, she was going to get hurt. Unless by some miracle he didn't have to—

 _Naminé, you better hurry. I can't… I can't bear this much longer._

* * *

"Xion. Her name is Xion," Roxas whispered. The pained, haunted look in his eyes was reflected in Lea's. "How could we have ever forgotten her?"

They knew the answer, but that wasn't what Roxas was asking, and they both knew it. It wasn't a question about the mind, but about the heart. How could one so dear to them be forgotten as if she'd never existed? They had committed a cruel betrayal, a crime they had forgotten as soon as it had occurred. Neither of them would blame her if she never forgave them.

The headaches had finally stopped. The memories were all back, but they brought with them a new pain, a wound that couldn't be healed until Xion was restored to them. And even then, the loss and separation would linger on in memory. The scars from that loss would be with them forever, silent memorials to her suffering. It was the least they could do, after they'd forgotten about her.

Sora couldn't save her soon enough.

* * *

A/N: Sora's memory of climbing trees with Kairi was inspired by a really cute piece of art from the Motion Reference Materials in one of the Kingdom Hearts Ultimanias.

As always, thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11 - Puppet

Chapter 11 – Puppet

The puppet leaned against the tree at her back and gazed towards the sea. The sunset was especially beautiful this evening. The sky was alight with color, pinks and yellows and reds streaking its vast expanse as the sun sank ever lower in the sky. It reminded her of Twilight Town and all the moments she'd spent on the clock tower there with her friends after work.

She'd made her choice. She wouldn't change her decision, had she been given the chance; but she still wished with all her heart that she could see them one more time. Knowing that she'd done the right thing didn't make their separation any easier to bear.

What she wouldn't give to see their smiling faces, to hear them say her name, to laugh at their jokes again. But such hopes were pointless, and it was foolish to indulge in them.

That was the reality of the world she lived in now. She was alone, and it was going to be another night spent under the stars with no one to see her or hear her or touch her.

How she craved the touch of another person. It was like an aching need gnawing away at her insides, stronger and deeper than hunger or thirst had ever been. She'd lost count of how many days it had been now since Roxas had held her as she'd faded away in his arms.

 _I might as well be invisible. Do I really exist, if no one else knows about me? If no one even cares?_

"Someone, anyone, _please._ See me. Hear me. Touch me. Show me that I'm real. Show me that I'm not imagining my own existence."

But other than the waves crashing against the shore, it was silent. The only voice in this place was hers. She didn't know why she kept speaking out loud. No one could hear her. How pathetic she sounded, how pathetic and lonely in this empty place, this prison for one.

 _It's hopeless. I'll be alone until the day Sora dies, if I don't fade away into nothingness first. And it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I live or die, because no one even remembers me._

 _I don't even remember my own name._

 _But at least… at least I remember theirs._

"Roxas, Axel, I-I hope you're doing okay." A tear slid down her cheek, and she lifted a hand to wipe it away. But then more came, and they wouldn't stop, no matter what she did. "I just wish I could eat ice cream with you one last time. I want to see your smiles again."

"How can they smile without you there?"

She froze. It was an answer. An answer from another voice. An answer from a voice that wasn't hers.

She lifted her eyes. Someone was standing there. Someone with brown hair and eyes as blue as the sky.

It was Sora. How he'd gotten there, and how long he'd been listening, she had no idea. Flustered, she tried to hide her tears from him.

"If you're looking for Roxas, then—"

He shook his head. "That's not why I'm here," he said softly.

Her heart lurched. He couldn't possibly mean—

"Xion." At the sound of her name, spoken so warmly and tenderly, she lost it completely. No one should know it anymore. It was supposed to be gone, lost. Even she'd forgotten it. That was the price she'd paid for the sake of the person standing before her now.

"Xion," he said again. "Thank you. You gave up everything to save me, and no one even remembered your sacrifice." At this he paused, his voice choked with emotion.

How did he know about that? No one was supposed to remember. Could it be that—

He offered his hand, the setting sun shining behind his hair. "Come with me. Roxas and Axel are waiting."

They remembered. There was no other explanation. The tears that welled up in her eyes now were for a very different reason than the ones that had come before.

 _They know. They remember._

 _And Sora… he sees me as I truly am. Not as an image of him or of Kairi or of Ventus._

 _He called me by my name. He knows I have a name. He knows_ my _name._

 _Then that means… I really do exist._

 _I really am real._

She took his outstretched hand. _It this… is this what joy feels like?_

It had been so long since she'd felt the warmth of another person. She cherished the moment, knowing it would soon become a precious memory.

How strange and wonderful it was, to have a heart.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open. The light of dusk shone from above, and she shielded her face. She gasped at the sight of the hand in front of her.

 _I have a hand._ She wiggled her fingers and toes. _I have a body. A body of my own that does what I tell it to._

She sat up and stared at it in amazement, unable to get over this simple fact. She was back in Twilight Town somehow, the familiar soft purples and pinks and yellows of the sky stretching out above her.

Her hand brushed against something, something small and hard. Her fingers closed around it and brought it close. It was a seashell, just like the ones she and Roxas always used to leave for each other. That could only mean—

"Xion," Roxas whispered.

Hearing him say her name proved to be too much. Her lip trembled as she faced him. She took in every inch of his dear face, memorizing this moment so it would stay with her forever. He took her hands and buckled to the ground, weeping at her feet.

"How could I have ever forgotten you?"

He looked up at her, tears streaking his cheeks as if they might somehow carry the guilt and pain in his eyes away, and she ran her fingers through his tousled hair.

"Roxas, don't cry. It wasn't your fault."

"Xion!" Axel was here, too. The mere sight of him made more tears well up in her eyes. He ran over and scooped them both up into a bear hug.

"Axel, you're really here." He didn't have the tattoos under his eyes anymore. Was he finally free from Xemnas, then? From the Organization?

"'Course I am. Didn't I tell you? I'll always be there to bring you back."

How very different those words were now than from when he'd first said them. Xion's grip on his shirt tightened. They were here, and they remembered her. The three of them cried without shame, reunited when before they'd had no hopes of any such thing.

Xion had to thank the people responsible. She searched for Sora, only to see him a little ways away and slumped against the brick wall behind him. His face was pale and covered in sweat, and he clutched a key with sharp, pointy teeth in his fingers.

Xion panicked before she noticed the girl kneeling beside him. Her hand was pressed against his chest and a soft light emanated from her palm. As his body relaxed into her touch, a tender sigh escaped his lips and the color returned to his cheeks. His eyes didn't leave her for a single moment, and that was when Xion knew.

"You must be Kairi." Kairi, the girl Sora—

Kairi turned around and smiled. She had red hair, but otherwise looked a lot like Xion herself.

"That's right. Nice to finally meet you, Xion." After helping Sora to his feet and putting an arm around his waist to steady him, she brought him over to Xion.

"Sora?" Xion asked. What had her rescue cost him? She was afraid to know the answer, and yet—

He put his free hand on her shoulder, and his grip was firm enough that it eased her worries.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he said. The look he exchanged with Kairi afterwards was downright heartwarming.

"We're just glad you're here," Kairi said, her eyes lingering on Sora for a moment before she looked at Xion again.

"Me too," Xion said. "Thank you."

Sora smiled. In her short existence, Xion had hardly seen anything so beautiful. And was that Naminé there a little ways behind him?

"Naminé… you helped them remember me, didn't you?"

Naminé nodded. "Even I had forgotten. But Sora saw you, and he wouldn't rest until we could remember." She smiled. "Truth be told, I didn't either. It's good to have you back, Xion."

There was someone missing, someone Xion knew must not be far away if Sora and Kairi were both here. "Where's Riku?" she asked.

"The others are waiting outside," Roxas explained. "This is a data version of Twilight Town. We used it to create a body for you."

Axel put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Your body will come into the real world. It worked just fine for Roxas and Naminé."

Xion breathed a sigh of relief. Her gaze flickered to the clock tower. "What do you say we go back to the real Twilight Town then? I could really use some ice cream."

And so the three of them returned to the clock tower as if no time had passed at all. Never had sea salt ice cream tasted so good. And never, in all her dreams, had she imagined that she'd return to this place again with her two best friends. Oh, she'd hoped it, in the deepest part of her heart, but she never thought that that dream would become a reality.

She'd often wondered if it was foolish to dream. For most of her life, she had been told so. She was a replica, a copy that nature had never intended to exist, made for a specific purpose. Anything that strayed from that purpose was unnecessary and therefore pointless. She didn't have a heart, or so everyone told her.

But she did. She did, and anyone who had a heart could dream. No, would dream. There was no helping it.

And now, she was free to chart the course of her own destiny. Free to decide what to do next, free to dream the craziest dreams she could think of and make them a reality. Everything was new and exciting, a series of one first right after the other. She wanted to experience it all, to take it all in.

As she laughed at Roxas's jokes and avoided Axel's tickling fingers, one thought ran through her head, over and over again:

 _It feels good to be alive, to have a heart._ Maybe having one brought great pain, but the joy that came with it? Worth it. Worth it a million times over. Especially knowing that the two people beside her felt the same.

Hearts existed to be connected to each other, after all.

* * *

Roxas spent so many hours catching up with Xion on the clock tower, even after Axel had gone back to the mansion, that he didn't know Naminé was missing until Sora came looking for her.

"Have you guys seen Naminé?" he called up, cupping his hands around his mouth. He looked around, but Roxas stopped him. He had a feeling he knew what was troubling her.

"I know where she is," he said. He looked to Xion, silently asking for her permission.

"Go," she said, shoving him playfully. "She's waiting for you." She gave him a sad, knowing smile, and a sharp pang went through his chest.

If only things had been different. Once, they'd shared something special. Once, she'd meant everything to him. She was the one who had taught him what it meant to have a heart, here on this very clock tower.

But that had changed. They'd fought. Then he'd forgotten about her, and though that had been undone, his guilt remained. And now there was another girl, someone he trusted, someone who saw him the way he remembered himself.

Someone who had shown him he still had a heart, even while she found the strength to move on from her own first love and open her heart up to him. Their feelings for each other were different, a softer, calmer thing than the explosive fireworks that had characterized his affection for Xion, but no less real.

But now Xion was here again. He couldn't just leave her. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't shake the feeling that going to Naminé would be a betrayal worse than forgetting Xion had even existed.

"Sora, can you give us a minute?" Xion asked.

"Sure." With that, the two of them were alone. The air around them seemed to grow thicker, and Roxas was uncomfortably aware of the sweat staining his borrowed t-shirt.

"Xion—"

"Roxas—"

She smiled. "You first."

He settled beside her and took her hands in his. "Xion, while you were gone, I—"

"I know. You and Naminé found each other." She massaged the skin on his knuckles between her fingers, her touch soft and soothing. "I was happy when you two finally met. You were so sad and lonely, and you didn't even know why. I couldn't be there for you anymore, but she could, so I asked her to take care of you. Even after she'd forgotten me, she remembered her promise. And for that I couldn't be more grateful."

Her dark hair framed her delicate features and soft blue eyes as she gazed at him in the sunset light. In that moment, Roxas wondered if perhaps she knew him better than he knew himself.

"But Xion," he finally said, "aren't you sad?" He knew he would be, if he were in her shoes. He hadn't wanted this for her. He hadn't wanted this for any of them.

 _Why is it that no matter what choice I make, someone's gonna get hurt?_

But he had to make this choice. It was the only fair thing to do. He refused to string Xion along with false hopes. Even if his feelings for her still lingered on, they were a broken, shadowed version of their former selves, and she deserved better than that.

Especially since he had feelings for Naminé now, too. He couldn't just ignore those. He couldn't pretend they didn't exist. That wouldn't be fair, either.

Xion looked off into the distance, at the sleepy town sprawling out before them with its cozy houses and streets filled with happy families and couples in love and children meeting their friends. It was a world far removed from the conflict, and yet at the very center of everything.

"I suppose I am sad," she finally said. "But I've had time to come to terms with everything. I wasn't sure I'd even have this second chance at life. Now I do, and I don't – I don't want to be sad anymore. Every day is a gift, and I've already spent too many of them being sad as it is."

He wrapped his arms around her, and she nestled her head against his chest and sighed. It was the first time in ages they'd been this close, and Roxas knew, deep down, that it would be the last time, too.

"Roxas," she said, her voice soft and tender, "I'll always love you. You're my best friend, and nothing's ever going to change that. But I have a heart of my own, and I can find love again."

"I know that," he whispered, pulling her closer. "Whoever you choose will be lucky to have you."

They stayed like that for a while as they gazed out at the view, their own private memorial to what might have been, to the things that could never be. It was a time for mourning the loss of what had been taken from them. The ghosts of their memories haunted them, the spirits of happier, more innocent days.

Sora had tried so hard to save them both, to bring healing and restoration where Xehanort had brought nothing but chaos and ruin. But while they had returned to life, there was no undoing the damage to the fragile, tender thing that had once flourished between them.

But they were not without hope. For even as they closed this chapter of their lives, a new one was opening.

"Roxas?" Xion said again.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to be happy. And if that means going to Naminé, then I want you to know that any barriers keeping the two of you apart don't come from me. They never did, and they never will."

He had her blessing. He couldn't put into words what that meant to him.

"Thank you, Xion."

* * *

Roxas found himself in the White Room afterwards. Sure enough, Naminé was there, her sketches lining the walls. She sat in her usual chair, but even though her sketchbook was out and her pencils were scattered around, she wasn't drawing anything. Big wet drops were splashed across its pages instead.

"Naminé?"

She looked up, and her eyes were filled with tears. At the sight of him, she hurriedly wiped her eyes and smiled.

"Oh, hello Roxas." Her lip quivered as she spoke. He was by her side in an instant, crouching next to her. He hesitated a moment and then placed a hand on her shoulder.

It felt good to have a body of his own that did what he told it to. It was his body, his heart, and no one else's. Sora had made sure of that. And now the girl beside him had a body of her own, too, her skin soft beneath his touch. She shivered slightly, still not used to the sensations having her own body provided, either.

"Naminé, what's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just glad everyone's happy."

"Then why are you alone? You should be with us."

"I—" She hesitated, and her shoulders drooped. "Roxas, look at my drawings." He did as she requested, examining the drawings lining the walls. They were filled with pictures of him and Sora, with the people important to them included. But there was one person missing.

"You're not in any of them." Roxas frowned. Why wasn't she there? She should be in the pictures. It was wrong for her not to be.

"That's correct."

"Why not? You drew them, didn't you?" Roxas didn't understand why she wouldn't include herself.

"Yes, I did. But don't you see? I was never a part of Sora's life. I tricked him into thinking I was and stole Kairi's place in his heart. I don't have a place I belong. I never did."

Roxas shook his head. "Now that isn't true. Maybe it started out that way, but Sora wants to be your friend, and so does Kairi."

Naminé closed her eyes. "I know. They're kinder to me than I deserve. It's my fault they were separated for so long. I deceived Sora and I made Kairi forget about him. I did everything I could to fix it—"

"And you did!"

"I know. But I still don't really belong with them. And Aqua and Ven have each other, and you and Lea have Xion. Who do I have, Roxas? Where do I belong? I have even less of a reason to exist than regular Nobodies."

She was silent, and so he was he. He had to get this right. He couldn't afford to screw it up.

"We aren't Nobodies anymore, Naminé," he said at last. "We're our own people." He swallowed, gathering his courage. "And do you know who you do belong with?"

Her eyes searched his for answers. The lonely, fragile look in them broke his heart. He thought about all the times she'd helped him when no one else would. She was a good person, and while she might not think so, he knew better.

She was the only one he knew would always tell him the truth. After spending most of his short existence being lied to and deceived, he couldn't put into words how much that meant to him. So he said one simple word instead, hoping she would understand the full meaning behind it.

"Me."

Her eyes went wide at his declaration, her lips parting in surprise. "Roxas, I—"

He took his hands in hers. They were soft but cold, and he rubbed his thumbs against them to bring them warmth.

"Naminé, I have Xion and Axel back, and they mean the world to me. But just like nothing can replace them, they can't replace you, either." He swallowed again. "You were there for me when I needed you the most. Now I want to be there for you. Will you let me do that?"

Naminé nodded, unable to speak. He smiled and picked up one of her pencils. Flipping to a blank page, he handed her another one. "What do you say we make a new drawing, together? This time with you in it."

Tears splashed onto her sketchpad again, but this time they were accompanied by a genuine smile. She wiped her eyes and laughed. "How can I be so happy that I'm crying?"

"Because you have a heart. We both do."

Together, they drew a picture. It was simple, as Roxas wasn't much of an artist. But that didn't matter. It was of the two of them, together again at last. When they were finished, Roxas hung it on the wall.

"See, Naminé? This is real. All of our memories together, all of our feelings – you didn't make them up. This is proof of that. Don't ever forget that."

Naminé smiled. "I won't. I promise. Thank you, Roxas."

In that moment, Roxas understood why hearts exit. It was just like Xion had said: to be connected.

* * *

When Naminé came to training the next day, she brought Roxas with her. Riku took one look at her face and knew. He gave her a knowing smile, and she returned it.

"So, Naminé says she wants me to be here when she summons her Keyblade for the first time," Roxas said. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she flushed pink.

It struck Riku that Naminé was a very different person when she was happy.

"All right, show us how it's done," Riku said. He had a good feeling about her chances of success this time.

She held out her hand and concentrated. Her brow scrunched up, and her lips parted slightly as she stared at the space in front of her. Slowly, surely, a golden glow appeared before her. A Keyblade materialized in her hand, and she stared at it in astonishment. The hilt was the emblem of a Nobody's, much like Roxas's, and the keychain attached to it a small blue flower. The blade shone white and silver, the teeth on the end twisted into a wave.

Naminé smiled, her eyes sparkling, as Roxas and Riku both looked on proudly.

"My Keyblade… I finally have a Keyblade." She turned to look at Roxas, a look of pure, childlike wonder on her face.

"See? What did I tell you?" he said. He grinned and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I'm gonna go spar with Sora some more. Come find me after practice, okay? I wanna take you someplace special."

She nodded, too dazed to say anything. As soon as he was out of the room, she turned to Riku and giggled.

"I take it things went well?" he asked.

She nodded. "I can't believe it. He… he wants to be with me. He actually wants to be with me."

Riku's expression softened. "I don't find that hard to believe."

A curious look entered Naminé's eyes. She paused, as if considering whether she should say something, then thought better of it. Riku was glad about that. Some things were better left unsaid.

"Thank you, Riku, for everything."

"Of course. Now, let's get started. We've got a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time."

* * *

A/N: As always, thank you for reading! And thank you to my guest reviewers both on this story and on my one-shots - I really appreciate your feedback.


	12. Chapter 12 - Remembrance

Chapter 12 – Remembrance

Some days, having a heart brought Xion great joy, and other times, great sorrow. And some days, it did both.

Roxas… Roxas still cared about her. He left a shell by her bed every morning, just like he always used to. And Axel stole the two of them away every chance he got for ice cream. They chatted till they laughed, then laughed till they cried, and then laughed some more. Things were back to normal; no, better than normal. They were free from the Organization, free to live their own lives.

But something had changed. Roxas had moved on, and Xion had given him her blessing. It had been long enough since everything had happened that time had eased the pain, just like she'd told him. She was happy for him, happy that he and Naminé had found each other.

But it still kinda hurt. It hurt, and Xion didn't know what to do. Being around Roxas on his own was fine, and so was talking to Naminé one-on-one. In those moments she could pretend that everything was okay, that nothing had changed and that she had no reason to be sad because these people were her friends and she cared about them.

But seeing them together still proved to be too much. She spied the two of them taking a walk in the woods by the mansion, and she fled back towards the town to get away from it all for a little while. In her flight she didn't notice Kairi until the two of them had bumped into each other and crashed to the ground. Oranges went rolling everywhere.

Kairi rubbed her head and sat up. Her eyes narrowed, then went wide. "Xion? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Xion started picking up the oranges and putting them back in Kairi's bag.

Kairi paused, chewing her lip. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Xion replied, too quickly to actually be telling the truth.

"It's Roxas, isn't it?"

Xion froze. "How… how did you know?"

Was it really that noticeable?

Kairi put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's not super obvious or anything. You were in the Organization together, right? Lea told me as much, and the rest I put together myself."

Xion resumed her search for the rest of the oranges. "Don't tell anyone else, okay? Roxas and I have already talked about it. I don't… I don't want to drag anyone else into it."

Their hands both landed on the final orange. "Of course not," Kairi said. She smiled sadly at Xion. "If you ever want to talk about it, though, I'm here." She straightened, oranges in hand. "Thanks for helping me pick these up."

Xion watched Kairi as she talked. She was magnetic, her sparkling eyes and cheerful, lilting voice drawing Xion in.

 _I'm supposed to be you, as Sora remembers you. But I don't compare to the real thing._

No, that wasn't true. Maybe it had been, when Xion had first come into existence. But Xion was her own person now. She and Kairi were different. Day by day, she was figuring out what made her unique, creating new memories and experiences that Kairi didn't share. And what was the heart, if not a series of one memory after the other?

"Here, walk with me," Kairi said, handing her an orange.

"Thank you." Xion took it and tucked it into the pocket of the pants she'd borrowed from Kairi. That was one of the perks of being a former replica – she and Kairi and Naminé could all swap clothes, no problem. They strode back towards the mansion, the golden sunlight forming rippling patterns on the grass.

"Hey, Xion," Kairi said suddenly. "What's your favorite flower?"

"My favorite flower? Hmmmm, I don't know much about flowers. I don't know if I really have one."

"Well, we're going to have to fix that," Kairi said. "When we get back, we can go to the library and see what books they've got."

After Kairi delivered the oranges to Riku, who was hard at work training Naminé, she met up with Xion in the library and began perusing its tomes.

"This looks promising." She lifted a heavy volume and dragged it over to the table where Xion waited. Xion tilted her head to read the spine. It said _The Language of Flowers_ , and Kairi flipped open the pages and smoothed them down.

"Did you know? There's a whole language of flowers, and each flower has a special meaning."

Xion studied the book before her. Brightly colored close-ups of each flower were printed on its pages, along with a brief description of what the flower meant and why. A few other notes about the flower's habitat and ideal growing conditions were included, too, with terms like perennials and annuals and other words Xion had never heard of.

 _There's so much I don't know. Whole worlds filled with information. I… I want to know more._ She flipped through the pages in wonder, marveling at the fact that someone had taken the time to develop an entire means of communication based on flowers alone.

"What's your favorite flower, Kairi?" she asked presently.

"Oh, I have several." Kairi leafed through the pages and showed Xion her favorites. "Camellias can have all different meanings, depending on the color. Same with roses and chrysanthemums. I like those three, but my absolute favorite's probably daisies."

"What do they mean?"

"Faith," Kairi replied. "A long time ago, they were used in medicine, too, to bind people's wounds. I always thought that was cool."

Another flower on the page caught Xion's eye. "What's this one?"

"Oh, those are called asters. They mean remembrance."

Xion stared at the picture. The blooms had a golden center with pale purple petals, delicate and dainty and beautiful. She squinted and read the description.

 _In the language of flowers, asters mean remembrance. It is uncertain how this meaning came to be, but various historians have pointed to an etymological connection. They make ideal gifts to loved ones, as they carry the message "I won't forget you."_

Xion touched the page. "This one. This one's my favorite."

Kairi's eyes softened. "I can see why. They suit you."

"Do any grow here? I'd like… I'd like to see them, in person." And maybe even pick a few.

"They might," Kairi said. "I haven't really gotten the chance to look. I do know they grow on Radiant Garden, where I'm from."

The two girls spent the next hour poring over the book. They decided forget-me-nots were best for Naminé, with their blue flowers that meant true love, and morning glories for Aqua (willful promises, and if anyone had made and kept a lot of those, it was her, according to Kairi).

"What about the boys?" Xion asked.

Kairi grinned. "Oh, I've thought about this a lot. At least for Sora and Riku. Sunflowers are best for Sora…"

"Are you sure he's not a lotus?" Xion teased.

"…very funny, Xion. Anyway, sunflowers mean respect, passionate love, and radiance..."

"Very fitting for him," Xion replied, nodding sagely.

"…and Riku's edelweiss. It means courage and power."

"Also very fitting."

Kairi closed the book and examined Xion . "You knew him before, didn't you?"

Xion brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I did. He and Naminé were the people I talked to. When everything was… falling apart, I mean."

"I see," Kairi replied, though what she saw, Xion couldn't say. And she wasn't sure if she should volunteer more information, anyway. Riku had sort of avoided her ever since she'd returned, even though she'd been meaning to talk to him about what had happened.

"Thank you, Kairi. I never knew flowers could have so many meanings. It's been fun, talking to you about this."

And it was nice to get her mind off of Roxas, at least for a little while. Kairi had noticed what was troubling her, and had tried to comfort her by sharing her hobby with her. Such kindness was rare, or at least it had been before. It was in an abundance now, but Xion still treasured every instance of it.

"Anytime," Kairi said. "It's nice to have someone who will finally listen. Sora and Riku always used to tease me about it, so I kinda stopped talking about it, after a while."

"Well, then they were a… a couple of… freesias, aren't they?" She grinned. She and Kairi had a whole new code of their own now. It was so much more satisfying than just saying Sora and Riku had behaved childishly.

Kairi laughed. "Yes, yes they were." She stood to return the book to the shelf. "You should have seen them right before this all started. They were so competitive. Everything turned into a contest, and they were obsessed with getting my attention."

Xion hadn't heard this before. Sora and Riku were so close now. She couldn't imagine a time when that had been different. "What changed?"

"Sora won."

"And Riku?"

"He… he accepted defeat with grace. Well, in the end." Kairi allowed herself a small smile. "He and Sora are closer than ever now, and we're friends again, but…"

"But what?"

Kairi rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't know. Sometimes, I wonder if what happened isn't at least partially my fault. I egged them on, and in my more selfish moments I even kind of enjoyed having them both fight over me."

"Sounds like they would have, anyway, even without your encouragement," Xion said, trying to cheer Kairi up.

"Maybe. I still feel like I toyed with Riku's feelings though."

"But you guys are friends again now, right? Even though you didn't choose him."

Kairi nodded.

"How… how did he move on?" Xion asked.

Kairi gave her a knowing look. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Xion was beginning to think that she just might do that. Riku had always been willing to listen to her before. Maybe… maybe she should try talking to him again.

She said goodbye to Kairi and went looking for Axel. Today had been a good distraction from the hurt in her heart.

Axel. She'd just gotten him and Roxas back. She knew the battle that was ahead of them. She knew the stakes. Was she really ready to face the possibility that they might be taken away from her again?

* * *

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!"

Xion groaned and opened her eyes. Roxas and Axel landed on her bed with a loud thud, and the mattress springs creaked in protest. The mansion had lived up to its name – it had plenty of spacious rooms, but they were also incredibly old. Dusty sheets had covered much of the furniture, and Xion's bed had been no exception. She and Kairi had spent most of yesterday afternoon cleaning the room so it would be suitable to sleep in.

"Stop that," she murmured. She pulled the soft blanket over her head, grinning in spite of herself.

"All right, Roxas. Time to get serious," Axel said. "On the count of three—"

"One—"

"Two—"

"Three!"

Roxas yanked the blanket off of her, and Axel picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake." She laughed and wacked Axel's back. "Put me down." Axel dutifully set her back on the bed, and she rubbed the sleep out of her eye. "What's all this about?" She yawned and stretched, tugging at Kairi's t-shirt to keep her belly button from showing. The last thing she wanted was a tickle fight, because Axel would win. He always did.

"It's a surprise!" Roxas's eyes were sparkling, and he placed something in her hand. Today's shell was a small spiral, its pearly surface gleaming in the warm sunlight streaming through the great window. She smiled and added it to the collection on the shelf above her bed.

With a pang, she thought about how much she didn't want this to be taken away from her again. As bittersweet as it was to see Roxas now, what she'd told him was true. They were still best friends, and she wanted him to always be a part of her life. What would she do if something happened to him?

She plastered on a smile and turned back to them. "C'mon, at least give me a hint!"

Roxas and Axel exchanged glances. "Nope!"

She sighed and shook her head, the corners of her mouth twitching. "You two are impossible." But they refused to budge, and in the end she kicked them out of the room so she could get dressed.

She'd been so long without a body of her own that it still felt kind of weird to have one. For the first few days, her limbs had been a tangle of weird sensations and reaching too far and not far enough. Now things were settling down, but it was still surprising to look in the ancient oak mirror and see her face staring back.

Another one of Kairi's shirts went on over her head, as well as a pair of Namine's sweatpants. Kairi and Naminé had promised to take her shopping, but they hadn't gotten the chance to yet. Now that Naminé had her Keyblade, Riku had been training her practically nonstop.

The entrance hall was the designated meeting place. But instead of Roxas and Axel, a walking, talking mouse and his two companions waited for her. The mouse noticed Xion and greeted her.

"Gosh, you must be Xion. It's nice to meetcha." He stuck his gloved hand out, and Xion shook it. "The name's Mickey."

"Nice to meet you too, Mickey."

"That's King Mickey to you," one of Mickey's companions said. He was a duck with a blue cap and matching clothes to match.

"I'm Goofy, and this here's Donald," Mickey's other companion said.

"Nice to meet you, Goofy, Donald." Xion shook their hands, and then they excused themselves to go find Sora. "Have you seen Roxas or Axel anywhere?" Xion said. "I was supposed to meet them here, but—"

Mickey rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually, I asked them to bring you here for me. Riku's trainin' Naminé, Aqua's trainin' Kairi, and Sora's trainin' Roxas, so we figured I should be the one to train you."

Xion's eyes went wide. "You're a Keyblade Master?" She hadn't expected… well, a mouse, of all people, to be a Keyblade master. He was so small, too, maybe coming up to her chest at most. But looks could be deceiving. Xion understood that better than most.

"Hard to believe, huh?" Mickey said. Xion couldn't say for sure, but she thought she noticed a playful glint in his eyes.

"N-no, it's just that—"

"Well, if you're feelin' up to it, I really can train ya."

"You'll… train me?"

Mickey nodded. "We're gonna need all the help we can get against Xehanort, and Roxas told me you can fight."

"About that," Xion said, shifting from one foot to the next. "I was only able to fight because I used Sora's Keyblade, and I don't have it anymore."

Mickey waved his hands. "Oh, that's easy. All I have to do is perform the bequeathing ceremony, and if your heart's ready and able, you'll be able to summon a Keyblade of your own. Then I can keep trainin' you from there."

"That's it?"

Xion couldn't believe it was that straightforward. But Mickey was true to his word. Roxas and Axel came for the ceremony, and after Mickey had finished speaking, there was a strange but not unpleasant tugging in her chest. She looked from Roxas to Axel's expectant faces, then held out her hand. The tugging grew stronger, and the area before her began to glow. A Keyblade appeared, weighty and solid and real in her grasp.

The design was similar to Sora's, but a seashell charm dangled off the chain, and the blade was twisted into a bouquet of violet flowers.

"It's perfect," she murmured. After thanking Mickey, she showed it to Roxas and Axel.

Axel ran his hand across the blade. "Kinda looks like a mix of Sora and Kairi's Keyblades."

"What kinds of flowers are those?" Roxas asked.

"Asters," Xion said. "Kairi told me about them."

"Do they have a special meaning for you?" Mickey said. "Usually, the way a Keyblade looks has somethin' to do with the wielder."

"Yes," Xion said. "In the language of flowers, they mean 'don't forget me.'"

She looked at Roxas and Axel and smiled. This Keyblade was a promise that the past would not be repeated, that never again would they forget what she meant to them, what the three of them meant to each other. If anything was worth fighting for, this was it.

All the same, she couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in her chest. She hadn't wanted to wake up to another fight. Fight she would, but if she lost Axel or Roxas again—

Well, no point in spoiling her newfound happiness. Even this time spent with them was a gift, and there was no guarantee there would be a tomorrow. There never had been. She'd known that for a long time now. It cast a shadow over everything, even her happiest moments. But it also reminded her to treasure every moment, to commit every second to memory. Then, even when the good times were long gone, the memories would live on.

Because memory, stored in the deepest depths of the heart, could be blurred and unchained and forgotten, but it was never really gone. It lingered on, whispering of times long past, of friends long gone. And in that sense, it was eternal in a way she and Roxas and Axel could never be on their own. So long as someone, anyone, remembered them, they, too, would live on forever in memory.

* * *

A/N: I had a lot of fun tying the language of flowers and _hanakotoba_ (its Japanese equivalent) into this chapter. Since we saw Kairi give flowers to Aqua in BBS, I like to think maybe flower picking was a hobby she shared with her grandma and continued as she got older. Her Keyblade also has flower motifs in it, so I wanted to reference that.

Xion's name has the same pronunciation as the word _shion_ in Japanese, which just so happens to mean aster. Asters and daisies are also related, hence why I chose daisies as Kairi's favorite flower. They really were used in medicine in Roman times, and as Kairi is quite the mage in this story, I thought it was fitting.

For Naminé, I liked the whole memory connection with forget-me-nots since asters also have a similar meaning. And Aqua's promises to Terra and Ven made morning glories a good fit for her.

Anyway, those are just a few notes about what I discovered during my research! Some of the flowers mentioned in this chapter have additional meanings that just might shed light on other parts of the story and characters, too... If you're interested in finding out more, I mainly used the language of flowers and _hanakotoba_ pages on Wikipedia, as well as a Japanese website called hanakotoba dot com (non-link form, so FFN wouldn't eat it). Google will also turn up a lot of interesting results, too.

As always, thank you for reading!


	13. Chapter 13 - Investigation

Chapter 13 – Investigation

"Aqua, I think it's safe to say this world's a dud." The entire area, as far as the eye could see, was completely covered in snow and ice. Not even the Heartless bothered with the place. The only sign of life they'd found was a small black droid that had beeped incessantly at them till Ven had punted it into the horizon, initiating some sort of self-destruct sequence.

He gathered his fur coat more closely around him as a gust of wind knocked his hood back yet again. His lips were turning blue, and there were icicles in his hair. Aqua frowned and cast a ring of fire around them to warm him up. The snow temporarily melted, revealing a layer of… more snow underneath.

Seeing Ven like this brought back bad memories of when Xehanort had frozen him. If she had her way, he would never be cold again. But they couldn't leave this place without making sure Terra wasn't here.

"I could've sworn… Here, Ven, let me see your Wayfinder again." He obliged, his fingers icy cold as he handed it over, before tucking his hands back into his pockets. Gloves that would actually protect against this level of cold made gripping a Keyblade difficult, so he'd forgone them.

Aqua brought their Wayfinders together and cast more magic on them. When she'd said they would always bring them together again, she hadn't just been engaging in wishful thinking. Much like Kairi's necklace, under the right conditions, each Wayfinder could lead its owner to the other Wayfinders. They were using that to track Terra, and their two Wayfinders combined were more powerful and accurate than hers on her own would have been.

Of course, there was a glaring flaw in this plan. They were assuming Terra still had his Wayfinder, and that was a big leap to make. In the years since they'd all been together, he'd been possessed by Xehanort, sent to another world, turned into a Heartless and Nobody, and then put back together again. It was anyone's guess whether he still had his Wayfinder or not. In her heart of hearts, Aqua believed he did, but she didn't have any definite proof.

"Why do I get the feeling Xehanort's leading us on a wild goose chase?" Ven muttered, kicking the snow beneath their feet.

"He could be. If we find Terra now, he gets nothing from it, since it's just the two of us." The clash he wanted required seven of their people, after all. And every time Terra had seen her, he'd gained more and more control of himself.

No, it was not in Xehanort's best interest for them to find Terra. Not at all. Aqua suspended the Wayfinders in the air with an anti-gravity spell, and they both slowly rotated upwards towards the sky, little pulses of light shooting out of them and pointing to the heavens. Ven was right. Wherever Terra was now, it wasn't on this world.

They transformed into their armor and took off. Time to search the next world.

* * *

Ven laughed when his head popped above water.

"Terra's really choosing some winners, isn't he?" Thankfully the sea they'd landed in was warm and shallow, a welcome respite from the frozen wasteland they'd just visited. They could see all the way to the bottom, and all sorts of tropical marine life lurked beneath the waves.

They swam to the shore. Ven dried them off with some strategically placed Aero spells before they settled on the sand to rest. Then he took out his Wayfinder, and—

"VEN! AH-KOO-WAH!"

—he went tumbling as a very dear friend tackled him and licked his face. He laughed and turned his cheek to avoid getting a mouthful of alien tongue.

"Stitch!" Aqua cried. She'd never expected to see him here, of all places. The last time they'd seen him had been in Deep Space, after all. He jumped to her next, and she caught him and gave him a hug.

"Long time no see." He proceeded to climb up and down her legs till he found what he was looking for.

"Ah-koo-wah," he said, flashing them a toothy grin as he dangled her Wayfinder from his fingers, along with a wad of fabric that looked like it had been ripped from her sash.

"Yup, that's right." Ven smiled and pet his head. He snatched Ven's Wayfinder from where it had fallen on the sand and examined it.

"Ven." He glanced from one charm to the other, then frowned and looked up at them. "Ter…ra?"

Ven's face fell, and Aqua's throat tightened.

"We… don't know where he is," she said.

Stitch's ears drooped. "Terra… gone?"

"Yeah, he's gone." Ven hung his head and sighed.

"But Terra… Fren. Ohana. Family."

"And family means no one gets left behind." A young girl with dark hair marched up to Stitch and grabbed his hand. She wore a grass skirt and matching crown. "Stitch, where have you been? It's almost time for the performance!" She turned to Ven and Aqua. "Sorry about that. I'm Lilo." She jabbed a finger at Stitch. "And this is Stitch. He's a weird looking dog, I know." She flashed them a smile and turned to leave.

"Wait, Lilo was it?" Aqua asked.

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen a big, muscly man with spiky hair and—"

Stitch escaped Lilo's grasp and climbed onto Ven's back instead, combing his fingers through his hair and plucking several strands for himself.

"Ouch!" Ven yelped, his hand flying to the spot and swatting at Stitch.

"Stitch!" Lilo pulled him off of Ven. "Hmmm, the only muscly man I know is my sister's boyfriend. And Mr. Bubbles. But Mr. Bubbles doesn't have any hair."

"Your sister's boyfriend – he doesn't have silver hair and golden eyes, does he?" Ven asked. It was unlikely Terra had gone off to some planet and started dating one of the locals, but just in case...

"Nope!" Lilo replied cheerfully. Aqua felt more relief than she'd care to admit at this piece of news.

"How about brown hair and blue eyes, then?" she asked. Ven shot her a look, but she had to know.

"Nope! He's got brown eyes, like mine." She readjusted her grip on Stitch. "Sorry, we have to go now. The performance is about to start."

"Bye-bye, Ah-koo-wah, Ven!" Stitch called as Lilo hauled him away. They waved back, then turned to each other and sighed.

"At least we know where Stitch lives now," Ven said, trying to look on the bright side as always.

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting to see him. It's nice to know we can come back and visit."

Neither of them mentioned that they'd come to yet another world without a trace of Terra. Aqua wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. She plucked the Wayfinders off the ground where Stitch had dropped them. This time, she didn't even bother checking where they led. She just silently handed Ven his, and he understood. They were in their armor and off to the next world by the time Lilo and Stitch's performance had begun.

* * *

They just missed the suit of armor that appeared on the beach. Terra tore his helmet off and staggered forward, landing on his knees and crumpling to the ground as the rest of his armor disappeared.

Getting his mind back had worked wonders. He was pushing back against Xehanort's control longer and harder than ever before. It had been ten hours since Xehanort had last had him (a new record). He clutched his head and groaned. He didn't have much time left before Xehanort reasserted his authority.

 _Terra, you must hurry. I can't hold him off much longer._

 _I know._

"Aqua… Ven… where are you?" He had to find them and warn them. He took his Wayfinder out, willing it to show him where they were. They'd come to this world, he knew that much. He'd been tracking them ever since he'd escaped, and his Wayfinder had led him here. The little bursts of light that had first appeared several days ago flickered upwards, and he dug his fingers into the sand. They'd moved on already.

They were just here. They must have left right before he arrived. Why couldn't they have waited just a few minutes? Why couldn't he have gotten here sooner? He punched the ground in frustration. The blooming pain in his head warned him that Xehanort was about to take over again.

 _It's not too late. You still have time to find them._

 _I know._ _I just have to stay calm._ Negative emotions were a good conduit for darkness, and Xehanort loved to use Terra's.

"TERRA!" A blue monster jumped at him, and Terra sent it flying. It crashed onto a nearby palm tree before he realized his mistake.

"Ter…ra?"

"Stitch? Is that really you?"

"Terra!" Stitch lunged at his legs and latched on.

"Hey, good to see you." How long had it been since he'd last seen Stitch? Years, but just how many? A quick glance at the small pool on the last world he'd visited told him he'd gotten older – there were lines under his eyes, his hair was longer, his face was thinner – but he didn't know his exact age. If he had to guess, he'd say he was in his early thirties now, but so many of the passing years had been lost that he had no way of knowing for sure.

He had no idea what Ven looked like now, either. Aqua, on the other hand, had aged a couple of years at most. Time passed differently in the realm of darkness, if it passed at all, and she was still as beautiful as ever. Terra had noticed before (how could he have not), but he'd been so obsessed with achieving his goal that he hadn't realized what could have been till it was too late.

Yes, he was an idiot. But there was one good thing that had come out of all of this. He was determined not to let the same fate befall anyone else.

Stitch found his Wayfinder and waved it in the air. "Fren! Fren!"

"Have you seen them? Have you seen my friends Aqua and Ven?"

"Ah-koo-wah. Ven. Yes." He handed Terra a clump of blond hair and a piece of blue fabric. Terra took one look at Stitch's mementos and assumed the worst.

"Stitch, what happened to them?!"

Stitch made a loud noise and waved his arms around in the air. It could mean anything, really, and Terra didn't have time for a game of gestures.

"Stitch! There you are!" A very disgruntled young girl appeared from the brush nearby and grabbed Stitch. "What did I tell you about running off in the middle of a performance?"

She took one look at Terra and froze. "Your hair and eyes are weird." She squinted, then her eyes went wide. "Hey, you're that muscly man they were talking about!"

"Who?"

The girl shrugged. "They didn't tell me their names. But the woman had blue hair and the guy had spiky blond hair." She let go of Stitch and inched closer to Terra. "Your hair's spiky too, just like they said. What's your name, mister?"

"Xeha—I mean, Terra. My name's Terra."

She giggled. "You have a funny name."

"Oh yeah? What's yours?"

"Lilo." She stuck out her hand, and he shook it. It was so small compared to his that he felt like even more of a giant than he usually did. When was the last time he'd been around a kid? He couldn't even remember.

"Lilo. Can you tell me anything they—" Terra clutched his head and swore.

 _We're out of time._

 _Yeah, I noticed._

Lilo's eyes went wide. "My sister Nani says you shouldn't say words like that."

"Lilo, get away from me. Now." Something in Terra's voice made her listen. She grabbed Stitch and backed away. Terra fought it, but he couldn't hold Xehanort off anymore. The darkness encroached and consumed his heart again.

"Terra, are you okay?" Lilo called when it was over, watching from a safe distance.

"That name has no meaning for me." Terra-Xehanort picked the Wayfinder up and stood.

"Your voice sounds weird now," Lilo said. She took a step closer, but Stitch pulled her back and shook his head.

"No Terra," he said. "No fren."

Lilo looked from Terra-Xehanort to Stitch in confusion. "I don't get it, Stitch. How did he become a different person?"

Stitch pointed to his chest. "Hah—art. Heart."

"His heart's different?"

Stitch nodded, and Lilo's face fell.

"Oh, okay. Hey mister!" she called. "Whoever you are, let Terra come out and talk to me!"

Terra-Xehanort fixed her with his cold gaze. "Foolish child, this heart belongs to the darkness. Terra cannot hear you." He put his armor back on and summoned a Corridor.

Lilo frowned. "You're creepy. It isn't right to take other people's hearts, you know."

He summoned Terra's glider and hopped aboard. "If I cared about something as petty as right and wrong, I would not have gotten to where I am today." The hum of the engine started up, and Lilo balled her fists.

"Well, whatever it is you're trying to do, it won't work! Give Terra back his heart!"

Stitch screeched and launched himself in the air. Terra-Xehanort ignored him and took off before he had the chance to tear his glider apart. He sighed in relief when the portal safely closed behind him. That had been close, too close. He couldn't risk any of the Guardians of Light discovering his plans. It would ruin everything.

He was glad to be getting rid of Terra soon. He was becoming too unpredictable to effectively control.

It wouldn't be long now. Soon, all his carefully laid plans would be complete.

He could hardly wait.

* * *

Ven and Aqua wandered from world to world, still no closer to their goal than when they'd started.

"I think we should go back to Twilight Town," Aqua said, after they'd been chased off a world for being witches and/or aliens. Aqua supposed they fit the description, so she couldn't really _blame_ the world's inhabitants for how they'd reacted, but still. Ven's use of magic when he lost his footing was a simple survival instinct, but to those people, he might as well have summoned Chernabog himself.

"One more world, Aqua. Just one more," he pleaded.

"You said that three worlds ago."

"I mean it this time."

Aqua sighed. "Okay, fine. One more world, and then we're going back." She took out their Wayfinders. "Where to now?"

A few hours later, and they emerged inside a thick forest. Aqua surveyed the area and noticed the ground sloped steadily upwards. They must be on the lower part of a mountain, but the trees were too thick to tell for sure unless she climbed. When she returned to Ven, he grabbed her hand.

"What is it?"

"Aqua, can't you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"The darkness." Ven put his other hand over his mouth. "It's oozing off of everything, like the heart of the world's been corrupted." He swallowed. "You can still sense the darkness, right?"

"Yes." She could feel it now, swirling around everything in a thick haze. "But I guess I spent so much time in the realm of darkness that I've lost some of my sensitivity." She tilted her head, listening for any noise. "There aren't any animals. No people, either. It's so calm it's disturbing."

"This is the place," Ven said. "It has to be." He began the long trek uphill, and she followed close behind him. When they reached a good climbing tree, she hoisted him up to scout out the area.

"We're on a mountain, all right. I think we're better off using our gliders and flying up the rest of the way than trying to walk." He hopped down and donned his armor, and she did the same. They broke above the tree line and continued their ascent. When they'd reached the summit of the mountain, they dismounted and continued on foot. The view was amazing, but there wasn't much going on.

"There's nothing up here," Ven said at last. "Just a bunch of rocks and the mountain itself."

"No, wait. Look." Aqua pointed to the peak. "It's cone-shaped. Ven, I think we're on a volcano."

Ven stared at the ground. He plucked a rock off it and turned it around in his hands. It was dark red and porous, the exact sort of rock flowing lava made when it solidified.

"Yeah, I think you're right." He gave her a grim look. "Let's hope it isn't active."

They climbed as high as they dared, till they could finally see inside the crater. It was pitch black, and they had no idea how deep it was. Ven tossed the rock inside, waiting for the sound of it hitting the bottom to reach their ears.

It never did. Instead, a burst of flame shot out of the crater and towered above them, spreading fiery wings and fixing them with its red-hot gaze. It reared its head back and roared, breathing flames out of its mouth that licked at their heels as they ran for their lives.

"A firebird?!" Aqua shouted.

"I thought – they were supposed – to be good!" Ven rolled out of the way of the latest onslaught of fire. His clothes got singed, but he was otherwise unscathed.

"They are. An elixir – made from their feathers – is said to—" Aqua put up a barrier around the two of them just in time.

"Bring people back from the dead, right?"

"Well, according to the legends. At the very least, they have great healing powers. Maybe they can't actually bring someone back from the dead, but they could probably save someone from the brink of death."

"Then why is this one attacking us?!"

As if on cue, the firebird shot a ball of white-hot flame at them, and even with the barrier protecting them Aqua could still feel it. Sweat dripped down her face, and she rubbed her forehead.

"Ven, we have to get out of here. If we want to take this thing on, we're going to need more help."

"But Terra—"

"Terra's probably here, inside the volcano. I bet that's where Xehanort's lair is. But we can't go in there right now."

Ven looked at the firebird again. "It's the guard dog, isn't it?" Then he noticed something, and his face fell. "Aqua, look. It's… it's a Heartless."

Sure enough, a black heart with a red outline was engraved on its chest, visible only when the flames flickered long enough for them to make it out.

"Aqua?" Ven asked.

She was trembling. How _dare_ Xehanort take a rare and beautiful creature that was known the worlds over for its healing and restorative powers, and turn it into _this._ It was a mockery of everything pure and good, just like how Xehanort had twisted Terra's heart and—

"Xehanort!" Screw the retreat plan, this creature deserved better. She had to save it. She had to put it out of its misery. She summoned her Keyblade and charged.

"Aqua, no!" Ven cried. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Let go of me!" She wrenched her arm free and doubled down on the firebird, hitting it with a chain of Blizzaga spells that culminated in a Blizzaza that froze it solid. But then Ven was there, blocking her progress.

"Get out of my way!"

Ven's eyes held an intensity she'd rarely seen before. "Aqua, stop! This won't help Terra!"

She was about to shove him aside when he threw his arms around her. She staggered backwards, forced to catch his weight lest they both go tumbling down the mountain.

He grabbed her hand and took off. "We'll deal with it later, like you said. But right now, we need to—"

The firebird burst through the ice. It spun around, catching them both in the flaming tips of its wings and sending them flying. Aqua only had time to cast a barrier around Ven before its wingtips caught her again. The searing flames tore into her back, and she screamed. As she lost consciousness, she was vaguely aware of someone shouting her name. There was a soft green glow, and then it all went black.

* * *

"Unnggh, where am I?" She blinked her eyes open and tried to sit up, only to fall back down into someone's arms. Her back throbbed, but not nearly as badly as she had expected it to. They were back in the forest, far away from the firebird. Hopefully.

"Easy, Aqua. I healed your back as best as I could, but it could really use your touch." Ven was hovering over her, a concerned expression on his face. But he also looked downright exhausted, and ash and soot was smudged all over his skin.

Had he carried her all the way here? He must have, from the looks of it. When had he gotten strong enough for that?

She wiped a piece of ash away from his face. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You protected me and took the worst of it yourself." He placed a hand on her back and healed it again, just to be safe.

"But if I hadn't attacked it—"

"If I hadn't insisted we stay and look for Terra, then we would've gotten out of here before that even became an issue. Let's just call it square, okay?"

"Okay." She sat up and winced, then gingerly touched her back to survey the damage. Ven had done a good emergency patch job, but he was right. What it really needed was her expertise. She spent the next few minutes healing it, and by the time she was done, it was about as good as new. The only sign that anything had happened was the slight pink of the skin and the dull throbbing that accompanied it, which would both go away in time.

She gestured to his legs and arms. "Here, let me see." Sure enough, there were partially healed burn marks, and she set about putting them right. When she was finished, his skin was almost back to normal, too. Nature would take care of the rest.

"I'd say we should rest here, but…" Aqua gestured towards the mountain. "Not the friendliest company."

Ven cracked a grin. "No, not exactly. But hey, at least we know where Terra's probably being kept now, right?"

"Right." Aqua brushed ash off her legs and stood. "Shall we?"

They noted where this world was on Aqua's map and set off, pleased that they'd finally found something to go off of. But more than that, they were both ready for a break. As the world disappeared from their view, Aqua turned back and looked at it one last time.

 _We'll be back soon, Terra. I promise._

* * *

"Aqua! Ven! You're back!"

Kairi ran down the creaky staircase of the Old Mansion and tackled Aqua in a hug. The sudden gesture took Aqua off guard and made her aching back throb, but she steadied them both before they went tumbling into one of the broken tables behind them.

"Yeah. It's good to see you again, Kairi." She let go to give her a grin. "Have you been practicing like I told you to?"

"Of course! I can't wait to show you!"

Kairi turned her attention to Ven, and Aqua finally noticed Sora was here, too. But instead of looking happy to see them, his head drooped.

"You didn't find Terra."

Aqua was taken aback. She knew Sora wanted to help them save him, but he almost seemed as torn up over Terra's continued absence as she and Ven were.

Ven's mouth formed a tight line. "No. But we think we know where he's being kept."

"Oh?" Sora lifted his head.

"Yes," Aqua said. "We found this world with a forest and a volcano and a huge firebird — here, let me show you." She dug around in her bag for her 3D map of the known worlds.

Sora took the map from her and studied it carefully. "So it's near Neverland, huh?"

"Yes."

"Huh, interesting. I don't think I've ever been there before." He lifted his eyes and looked steadily into hers. "Aqua, this is great. If you really think he's being held here, then we can plan a mission to rescue him."

"I know." They were so close. They were so close to saving him.

Sora handed her back the map. "Hang on. I have to find Riku and the King. We should start planning."

Aqua put a hand on his shoulder. "Sora, don't be silly. It's getting late. It can wait till tomorrow." She nodded towards Ven, whose eyelids were drooping even as he tried his best to continue his conversation with Kairi.

Sora gave her a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck. "R-right."

It wasn't till later, when she was alone in the room Kairi had prepared for her, sprawled out on its great canopy bed, that she finally allowed herself to succumb to her emotions. She clutched her Wayfinder in her hand and sobbed into the pillow.

Would nothing she did ever be enough? They knew where Terra was probably being kept now, it was true. But that was no guarantee this would be any different from the Keyblade Graveyard. She hadn't indulged her worries to Ven or the others, of course, and she would never give up on saving Terra. But even she was beginning to despair.

Finding him was only the first step. If not even throwing herself into the realm of darkness could help, if not even returning his mind to him could free him, if not even Kairi, a Princess of Heart, could break through the darkness imprisoning him, then what would it take?

"Terra, I miss you so much." She pulled the pillow close and hugged it tight. "I just want to see your smile again."

Was that really so hard to ask? It was the one thing she wanted more than anything. Surely the strength of her wish, the strength of the heart behind it was enough.

She would make it come true. She had to.

* * *

Aqua's sobs and pleas went unanswered, or so she thought. But someone had heard her on the way to his room.

"Aqua, hang in there," Sora whispered, then rested his head against the faded wallpaper and sighed. "You'll see Terra again soon, I promise."

* * *

A/N: I was pretty excited to post this chapter because it's the start of a new story arc. It includes one of the worlds and enemies I'd really love to see in Kingdom Hearts, too, the Firebird from Fantasia 2000. There are references to four different movies total, including Fantasia 2000. Can you guess what the other three are?

As always, thank you for reading!


	14. Chapter 14 - Celebration

Chapter 14 – Celebration

The middle of a war was, in some ways, a really bad time for a party. But it was also the best time for a party, because who knew when or even if they'd get another chance? The Restoration Committee had insisted on it, so they'd all trekked to Radiant Garden for the big event.

And besides, they were long overdue for some fun and merriment. Aqua, Ven, Naminé, Roxas, and Xion had all been saved, and that required a celebration. Terra still wasn't with them, but given the circumstances surrounding his situation, everyone knew rescuing him had a high chance of creating the χ-blade.

In a way, this was one last hurrah before that final conflict. And that fight was coming very soon. Aqua and Ven had told the others about where they thought Terra was being held.

"How'd ya know for sure?" Mickey had asked, not entirely convinced.

Ven shuddered. "The darkness. It was oozing out of the place."

"Well, that and we were attacked by a firebird-turned-Heartless when we tried to investigate. Kind of made it clear," Aqua muttered.

It was the best lead they had to go on, at any rate. A rescue plan had been hatched for the day after tomorrow. They would storm the mountain, fight the firebird, and try to get inside the volcano in waves of 3-4 people. They'd search for Terra after that. If Xehanort used them to create the χ-blade, which he probably would, at least there would be a few people left to stop him.

Aqua looked at herself in Kairi's mirror. She wore a sleeveless blue dress for tonight's party that hugged her figure, the skirt short in the front and long in the back, and she'd paired it with black heels and silk gloves.

It was exactly the sort of outfit that Terra and Ven would tease her about for being too girly, with all its frills and fluttery fabric. But Kairi had insisted, and Aqua had always loved girly things anyway, so she was quite pleased with the final result.

Kairi emerged from the bathroom, where she and Xion had been doing Naminé's hair, and stopped and stared.

"Aqua, you look stunning."

"You too, Kairi." Aqua smiled at her. Kairi's red hair was done up in an elegant twist. She wore a sleeveless purple gown, the material of the pleated skirt fluttering just above her knees with violet slippers to match. Aqua made a mental note to be around when Sora saw her. For a moment, it really did seem like their biggest concern was choosing what to wear for the party.

 _When was the last time I could think about such small things? I don't even remember._

 _But that's what we're fighting for, isn't it? For all of the worlds to be at peace. Then we really will have something to celebrate._

Kairi looped a pair of gold hoops through her ears. "Something on your mind?"

"It's just been ages since I've gotten to dress up like this," Aqua said. "I'd forgotten what it feels like. Weird, huh?"

Kairi's expression softened. "No, not at all."

Naminé and Xion came out of the bathroom next. Naminé's hair had been braided, and her dress was light blue and yellow with a sweetheart neckline and short sleeves. She saw herself in the mirror and smiled, smoothing her bangs back behind a headband for the finishing touch. Xion had slipped a barrette into her pixie cut that matched her adorable red number, which had a poofy skirt and white polka dots.

"This is the first time I've ever worn a dress before," she said, staring at herself in the mirror as she turned this way and that. "I like it."

And with that, Aqua could see why Kairi had made such a big deal about this whole thing.

"You look lovely, Xion," Aqua said. "You too, Naminé."

Kairi looked at the four of them in the mirror and nodded her approval. "Absolutely. We all look great." She wiggled her eyebrows and giggled. "The guys won't know what hit them."

It was time for the party to begin.

* * *

Merlin had really outdone himself with the massive ballroom he'd created for the occasion. They'd discussed having the party in the castle, but for safety they'd moved it to the Time Chamber instead. He couldn't be here (something about Bermuda), but the other members of the Restoration Committee were all there, and someone had even convinced Cloud to come. He sulked in the corner, but he was there.

Kairi searched for Sora, excited to see him. He was standing by the refreshments table, and she smiled when she saw him. He wasn't usually one to dress up, and he looked good no matter what, but man, nice clothes suited him. She strolled up to him and cleared her throat.

"You should wear a suit more often," she said. "It's a good look."

He turned around, and his expression completely changed. His mouth opened slightly, his eyes traveling up and down her figure as he took her outfit in. Then a smile lit up his face and softened his features.

"Kairi, you look amazing."

She giggled, pleased he thought so. "So do you."

He set down his plate of food and offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"

She nodded and took it. "I thought you'd never ask."

He led her onto the dance floor. Ever since they'd started fighting together, the joint fighting style they'd developed was something like a dance anyway. But it was nice to dance for real, the worries of defeating enemies out of their minds for tonight at least.

He put his hand on her waist and pulled her closer. She took a deep breath and met his gaze, then placed her other hand on his shoulder. With that they began.

The music was a slow waltz, unfamiliar to Destiny Islands but native to Radiant Garden. The world around them faded away as they twirled to the music. Once she adjusted to his rhythm, it was easy to follow his lead. He was a good partner, clearly signaling what to do and smoothly guiding her through new steps. Without anywhere else to look, she found herself staring into his eyes.

And the way he was looking at her right now was making her head swim.

"Where… where did you learn how to dance so well?" she finally managed. Her grandmother had taught her how to dance, long ago, and she'd picked it back up recently, but when had he learned?

His eyes flickered upward as he recalled the information. "I asked my friends Rapunzel and Eugene to teach me." He looked at her again, smiling shyly. "I wanted to be ready for when we could finally dance together." He led her into a spin and back into his arms, and she tried with great difficulty to slow the pounding in her heart.

Sheesh, did he have any idea what kind of effect he had on her? It wasn't fair. Times like this, when he expressed his feelings so openly, so sweetly and sincerely, reminded her why she'd fallen for him in the first place.

This was the Sora she knew. He was acting more like himself tonight than he had for the last several weeks, and she wanted to make the most of it.

"Well, all your hard work has paid off," she said, her voice sounding breathy even to her.

Their movements slowed. Sora's palms were sweaty, and Kairi tried to control her breathing. So far, they'd both been reserved about displays of affection in front of other people. But Kairi wasn't sure if she could take this much longer. And this was their first dance. It really would be a pity to let the moment go to waste.

She licked her lips, wondering if his were as soft as they looked.

Sora stopped. "Kairi?"

"Yes?"

"I…" He swallowed. "I…"

"Y-yes?"

He looked at her for an agonizing moment. The tension in the air was palpable.

"I… I'm really glad you're here."

She examined him closely. Was that really what he'd wanted to say? There was a smile on his face, but his eyes were sending her mixed messages. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"I'm glad you're here, too."

An idea came to her. She found his hand and dragged him off the dance floor. Maybe talking wouldn't help, but there were other ways to get his mind off whatever was troubling him.

"Kairi, where are you taking me?" he asked.

"There's a garden outside. Well, it's not technically outside, but you know what I mean. Let's go out there and get away from it all for a while, okay?" Surely he'd get the hint. Maybe, if they were away from prying eyes—

He stopped and refused to budge. "But the party just started."

Kairi sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "Sora, this isn't about the party, is it?" She forced down the stinging feeling of being unwanted. That couldn't be it, not with the way he looked at her tonight, or how he responded to her touch.

He hung his head. "Okay, fine. It's not. But for tonight, let's just forget about everything and have fun. I'll… talk to you about it tomorrow, okay?" He gave her his puppy dog eyes, and it was all over. She was such a sucker for those eyes and he knew it.

Still, he'd finally agreed to talk about what was bothering him. That was victory enough.

"It's a promise." She bopped his nose and smiled. Her eyes traveled to his tie, which had come askew during their dancing. She straightened it and smoothed the fabric, adjusting his jacket along the way. When she looked up into his eyes again, he was looking at her with an almost pained expression. "Sora?"

He hugged her tightly. She welcomed the contact, the warmth of his body pressed against hers, but… _but…_

Ah, well. She had his word he'd talk to her about it tomorrow. She hugged him back. Whatever it was that was eating away at him, she willed it to go away. Their hug was lasting a lot longer than what propriety would allow, but whatever.

When he finally let go, he was smiling again. "May I have this dance?"

She returned his smile. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

"Riku?"

Riku nearly dropped his cup of punch. He'd never seen Xion in anything other than her black Organization coat or the clothes Kairi had given her, and he had to admit, she looked good in a dress.

"Uh, hey. If you're looking for Roxas, I think he's over there." Riku nodded towards the refreshments table, where Lea and Roxas were engaged in a sea-salt ice cream eating contest. From the looks of it, they'd corralled Ven and Yuffie into joining them. Naminé was watching from the sidelines with an amused smile on her face, and Aqua was cheering Ven on.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you." Xion smiled and took a sip of her punch. "Enjoying the party?"

Riku swallowed. "Oh, that. Um, the food's pretty good, I guess." He took a swig of his punch and frowned, wondering what Merlin had put inside it this time. "How about you?"

"Well, it's my first one, so I don't have anything to compare it to, really. It seems nice though."

A long, awkward silence followed. Riku cleared his throat, knowing he couldn't delay the inevitable any longer.

"Listen, Xion, I'm sorry about what happened. I never should have talked you into rejoining with Sora. You deserve to be your own person as much as he does." He stared at his feet, fiddling with the cup in his hands.

"You make it sound like I didn't have any choice in the matter," she said softly, swirling her straw around her drink. "And Sora really wouldn't have woken up if I hadn't. I don't blame you for what you did, Riku."

She really did take after Sora and Kairi. She was forgiving to a fault. In some ways, she was more like the two of them than their own former Nobodies were.

"Um, thanks. But it doesn't excuse what I did."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe not, but I'm grateful that I met you all the same. You were there for me when I needed someone to talk to about what was happening to me. I never should have existed in the first place, but you tried to treat me like I was my own person, even though you wanted me to rejoin with Sora."

Riku sighed. Xion was one of those people who could find the good in anything. Considering how her life had gone so far, maybe it wasn't surprising, but still.

"Xion, we have got to get you some better memories than that. I get what you're saying, but for most people, being treated like a person is really scraping the bottom of the barrel."

She smiled. "Well, then how about we start from now?" She set her cup on the table and grabbed his hand. "Dance with me."

Riku blanched. "I don't know how."

"Well, that makes two of us. C'mon, we'll figure it out together. You said it yourself. I need to make some new memories."

Xion dragged him out onto the dance floor. The only other people dancing were Sora and Kairi. Riku watched as Sora dipped Kairi nearly to the ground before effortlessly lifting her back up and twirling her around.

"Pffft, showoffs."

"I heard that," Sora shot back. Kairi laughed and winked at Riku as they spun by. Riku ignored her and turned his attention back to Xion. He held his hands out palms up, but she didn't take them.

"Hmmm, that's not how Sora and Kairi are dancing."

Riku coughed and put an arm on her waist, and she put her hand on his shoulder. He offered his other hand again, and this time she took it.

"Now what?" she asked.

Riku strained his neck to see what Sora was doing. The basic step didn't look too hard. He stepped forward, and Xion backward a moment later. Then he stepped to the side, and she mirrored him.

"I think you're supposed to step forward now," he mumbled.

"Oh, okay." She did, but Riku didn't step backwards in time. She stepped on his foot. He winced, and her delicate features twisted into an apologetic expression.

"Sorry!"

"It's fine, we just need to try again. We'll get the hang of it."

Several minutes of stepped on toes, not knowing where to look, and all around awkwardness later, and they had finally managed to do just that.

At some point Sora and Kairi, inspired by Riku and Xion's example, had found Naminé and Roxas and were dancing with them. Naminé practically floated on air as Sora spun her around, and Kairi was showing Roxas how to lead.

Even Lea was out on the dance floor, Yuffie having towed him along with her. They bounced around far more than the music would require, but at least they were having fun. Aerith had somehow convinced Cloud to dance, too, and his expression was marginally less grumpy than usual. He looked like he might even smile eventually.

Donald and Goofy and Mickey watched from the sidelines with big grins on their faces, and Aqua and Ven were dancing together, too. While Ven certainly seemed like the dancing type, Riku didn't expect Aqua to enjoy it so much. She was always so serious, but seeing her now, Riku wondered if that was more a result of her circumstances and not her choices.

What would she be like, in a world where she wasn't constantly fighting? What would they all be like? The only people in this room he'd known before all this started were Sora and Kairi. What a normal life would look like for everyone else was a mystery.

Riku's gaze traveled back to his partner. Her cheeks were flushed from all the excitement, a few strands of dark hair escaping her barrette and brushing against her face. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she took it all in. They made eye contact, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Too bad the song was winding down. Dancing was actually kinda fun. As the last note of the song played, he remembered to bow, and Xion curtsied.

"Thank you, Riku. This was really fun."

"Of course. Keep making memories like that, okay?"

Her smile was disarmingly sweet. "I will."

She wandered off to go find Roxas and Lea, and it wasn't till Kairi and Sora came up to him that he realized he was still staring after her.

"Like what you see?" Kairi asked.

Riku wasn't sure how to answer that. Xion was pretty – he'd be blind to deny it – but surely their history made things a little weird for her, right? And until Xehanort was defeated, he didn't have time for that sort of thing anyway. He told Sora and Kairi as much, and they both laughed.

"Always the responsible one," Sora said.

"Well, one of us has to be."

Sora went to get them more food, and it was just Kairi and Riku on the dance floor.

She cleared her throat. "Now that you know how, Riku, may I have this dance?"

"Sure, why not?"

They swayed to the music, their focus more on the conversation than on the dancing.

"How's he doing?" Riku asked, his voice low. "I've been so busy training Naminé lately that I haven't really gotten the chance to talk to him."

"He's better. He was acting weird earlier, but he agreed to talk to me about what's bothering him tomorrow. He's been pretty happy ever since." Riku held up his arm like he saw Sora do earlier, and Kairi twirled, once, twice, then went back to the base position.

"Good. I thought a party might cheer him up."

Kairi blew a puff of air that sent her bangs flying. "Still, there's something I..."

"What is it?"

"I don't get it, Riku! He still won't kiss me. I know he wants to. I can see it in his eyes." She frowned, and Riku knew what she was really wondering about.

"Well, knowing Sora, he's probably waiting for the perfect moment." He'd always been a romantic sap, after all. "Of course, what he thinks is the perfect moment might not come before you turn thirty."

Kairi sighed and shook her head. "I think there's more to it than that. Our first dance together would have been romantic enough. Something's holding him back."

"Well, why don't you just kiss him instead?" This wasn't a difficult problem to solve. Riku didn't understand why she hadn't tried already.

"Oh." Her cheeks flushed. "I guess I could, huh? I just… I want to make sure nothing's holding him back. I want to know he's ready."

"Trust me, that isn't the problem," Riku said. Sora had been crushing on Kairi for years. Kissing her would be like a dream come true.

"Thanks, Riku. I know you probably didn't want to get involved in our relationship troubles—"

Riku chuckled. "Too late for that. I just hope you guys don't break up. If you do, I really will have a mess on my hands."

Sora returned with their requested food. Riku sampled the little quiches Sora had loaded up his plate with. They were delicious.

"Hey, Kairi?" Sora said. "I've got an idea."

He shared it with her, and she smiled and nodded. They went to enact their plan, and Riku grinned and searched for his punch. He wasn't one for parties, usually, but this one was different. The people they'd rescued were finally getting to experience the normal things in life the rest of them took for granted. He couldn't think of a better way to spend the last of their time together before the final fight against Xehanort.

* * *

"Speech time!" Sora and Kairi shouted, their voices magically amplified. The guests, Aqua included, had no choice but to listen.

Kairi started, thanking everyone for coming and making the party a success. She went on to thank the Restoration Committee for hosting, then opened the floor up to anyone else who wished to speak. What followed was a round of thank yous and I'm-glad-to-be-here's and inside jokes and shoutouts to friends. Aqua waited patiently for her turn. She wanted to hear what everyone else had to say first.

"Aqua? Any words?" Kairi finally asked her.

"Yes." She turned towards her fellow guests. "I'd like to thank everyone here tonight. Without you, I wouldn't be here, and neither would Ven. And… I know saving Terra won't be easy, so it means the world to me that you're all willing to help."

And they were. Not one person in the room had backed down. Everyone had volunteered as soon as the words had left Aqua's mouth. Donald, Goofy, Mickey. Ven, of course. Roxas and even Naminé. Lea and Xion, too. And Riku, Kairi, and Sora. Her eyes rested on him. Everyone had helped, of course, but he had done the most of all. She grabbed a glass from behind her and raised it in the air.

"A toast. To our friend Sora, who has given his all in restoring us to each other." She paused to smile at him. "I dedicate this celebration to you tonight."

Her speech was met with deafening applause. Sora was shocked speechless. He just stood there, his mouth hanging open as they cheered his name. Then his eyes misted over and his lip trembled. He took the floor, and everyone fell silent.

"Hey guys," he said, struggling to control his voice, "I know I say it a lot, but I wouldn't be who I am today without you." He paused and swallowed. "Thank you. I'm lucky to call you all my friends, and I—I love you."

Aqua didn't miss the anguish in his voice. The words were meant for everyone, of course, but he'd chosen to lock eyes with one person in particular. Kairi stared back at him, about to come undone herself. And now he was crying, unable to control his feelings any longer.

Everyone was dead silent. Perhaps because no one had expected such an open display of emotion, so unashamed in its affection for them. With a start, Aqua realized her eyes had misted over, too.

They all waited, as if under a spell, for the right person to break the silence.

And she finally did. Not with words, but with an embrace. Kairi held Sora as he wept, her own eyes filled with tears. He clung to her like his life depended on it, and perhaps it did. Riku came over and put a hand on his shoulder, and then the rest of them joined in, hugging him, tousling his hair, patting him on the shoulder, and otherwise showering him with physical affection.

"Gawrsh, Sora, are you really that worried about us goin' up against Xehanort?" Goofy asked, a concerned look on his face.

"It'll be a tough battle, but we can handle it!" Donald said. "C'mon, Sora, cheer up!"

Mickey likewise tried to encourage him. "If we all work together, we'll save Terra, I just know it."

Ven told him not to worry, that they were all ready for the fight ahead of them. Roxas promised that they'd all trained hard, and Xion stuck a small sunflower behind his ear, its vibrant yellow petals contrasting nicely with the warm brown of his hair. Naminé gave him one of her drawings, a picture of everyone together again, happy and smiling. Sora smiled through his tears, and that was when it hit Aqua.

They were comforting him, and they didn't know why.

He hadn't said a single thing.

* * *

Sora slipped inside Kairi's room long after the party had ended. She slept soundly, unaware of his intrusion. He swallowed. Maybe it had been a mistake to come. Watching the steady rise and fall of her chest, the strands of red hair that tumbled over her peaceful face—

 _I can't leave you._ But he had to. With trembling fingers, he took her diary out of his pocket and placed it in her outstretched hands. Part of her quilt blanket had slipped off her shoulder, and he carefully tucked it back around her.

His face was only inches from hers now. He warred with himself for an agonizing moment, wanting nothing more than to wake her up, to bring her perfect lips to his and—

No. He couldn't do that. If he did, his whole plan would be ruined. He had to go now before he gave in to the part of himself that fought tooth and nail against what he'd set his mind to do.

With a great deal of effort he finally tore himself away from her and straightened, reminding himself that he was doing this for her sake as much as he was for everyone else's. It was the only way he'd gotten his heart to agree to it.

"Goodbye," he whispered, allowing himself one last glance before he closed the door behind him. Without her soothing presence, the full gravity of what he was about to do hit him, and he slumped to the ground. The door was hard and unforgiving against his back, blocking him from the one person who could comfort him better than anyone else.

He refused to cry in front of his enemies, refused to give them the pleasure of seeing his fear and anguish. So he silently wept at Kairi's door instead. His stomach churned and his heart was filled with dread at what he knew was coming.

 _How can I do this? Everything inside me is screaming at me not to—_

But then he thought of his friends. He thought of the way they'd comforted him tonight, though they hadn't known what was troubling him. They were always there for him, supporting him in his lows and celebrating his highs, just like true friends should.

 _Do it for them, Sora._

He straightened and wiped his eyes. His resolve had returned. He cast one last glance at Kairi's door, then turned away from it for good.

"I'm coming, Terra."

* * *

A/N: So, um, next week's chapter. Yeah. It's not an easy one to read, as you might have guessed by the way this one ends.

In my opening author's note, I mentioned that this story is darker than Dear Sora, and we're getting into that darker material. At the beginning of the next chapter, I will include some content warnings. If you don't want spoilers, please skip them because they will be spoilery.

On a more lighthearted note, awkward Riku (who we caught a glimpse of in DDD) was a lot of fun to write in this chapter. And of course I wanted Sora and Kairi to finally have the chance to dance with each other, since Sora's been dreaming about it since KH2.

As always, thank you for reading!


	15. Chapter 15 - Sacrifice

A/N: I promised content warnings, so here they are. Please skip them if you don't want spoilers. Also, my author's note discussing the chapter's inspiration and development will be combined with next week's note instead.

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SPOILER Psychological torture, human experimentation, mentions of blood SPOILER

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* * *

Chapter 15 – Sacrifice

The darkness was a living, breathing thing; it seeped into Sora's very heart, sending a chill down his spine. He fought every impulse to run, resisted every urge to fight. He was here for one reason and one reason only, and it did not require a Keyblade.

He put one foot in front of the other, each step leading him further away from his friends and closer to the heart of the enemy's stronghold. He knew where it was now, thanks to Aqua and Ven. No one stopped him; no one begged him to come back or forbid him from moving forward. He was completely and utterly alone.

When his feet hit a staircase, he stopped. The light here was dim, and it was hard to make out much other than the dark shapes illuminated by a sickly orange glow that lingered over everything like some kind of disease.

"Xehanort!" he called, his voice echoing across the empty expanse. At his words, he felt rather than saw countless eyes rest on him, watching his every move. "I'm here to make a deal!"

Mocking laughter was his response. Sora stiffened at the noise, but otherwise stayed put.

"I'm not the bargaining kind," Xehanort's voice echoed back.

For a moment, Sora's courage failed, his heart faltering. If he couldn't get Xehanort to listen to him, this would all be for nothing.

No, he couldn't think like that. He would succeed. He had to.

"It's an offer you won't be able to resist," he added.

"And what would that be?"

Good. He had Xehanort's attention. He chose his next words carefully. "I want to bargain for Terra's freedom."

Xehanort scoffed. "His freedom? He has been my vessel for years, serving me well. What could possibly equal the value of that?"

Sora swallowed, his body tensing up. Either Xehanort would like his offer, or he wouldn't. He stopped himself from summoning his Keyblade. It wouldn't help.

"Me," he finally replied, his voice sounding much smaller than he would have liked. There was a pause, and then Xehanort's golden eyes gleamed down at him from the top of the stairs.

"Go on."

Sora fought the deep sense of dread welling up inside of him and thought of Aqua and Ven instead, thought of how much they wanted to see their friend again, what it would mean to them to have him back safe and sound.

There. Picturing their smiling faces helped him find his voice again.

"If you set Terra free, if you take your heart out of his body and return him to how he used to be, if you swear to me that he'll reach my friends safely and you won't ever possess him again, then you have my word. I'll let you do whatever you want with me. I won't fight you, and I won't ask my friends for help."

There. He'd tried to be as specific as possible, not wanting Xehanort to exploit any loopholes that might screw Terra over. His heart pounded in his ears, and his breath, the only sound in the room, echoed loudly for everyone to hear. Never before had he felt so vulnerable, so exposed.

Xehanort was silent for what felt like an eternity before he finally spoke. "Agreed."

Sora's jaw dropped, but he soon recovered. "That's not all. You're after Kairi too, right?" he asked.

"Well, yes. She is a Princess of Heart and a Guardian of Light. I need her for the χ-blade either way." Xehanort considered something. "Although with all the people you've saved lately, maybe not. I'm flexible. So long as the components fit the criteria, I don't care who the components are."

"Yeah, I figured. I have one last request. If you don't agree to it, then we don't have a deal."

"And what would that be?"

"Kairi's safety. You don't try to hurt, kidnap, or possess any version of her, past or present, with or without a heart or body."

Sora knew Xehanort could time travel. A version of him had been present the night Destiny Islands fell. What was stopping him from going back to the moment Kairi had lost her heart and stealing her body for his dark purposes?

 _I'd rather die than let that happen._

"Agreed," Xehanort said. "Are you sure you don't have any more requests? This deal does seem heavily skewed in my favor. I wouldn't want you to feel I'm being unfair."

Well, so long as Xehanort was asking, he might as well push his luck. "Fine, then. Leave all of my friends alone. Stop attacking them."

Xehanort laughed again. "Oh, that won't be a problem. Something tells me they will come after me."

Sora felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. In spite of everything, he still took comfort in knowing that even if his friends did come, they could beat Xehanort. Together they would win, he knew they would.

He wanted them to win, even if he was no longer on their side.

"Do we have a deal, then?" he asked.

"Yes, I think we do. When will this all take place?"

It was his last chance to turn back. There was still time. He could summon his Keyblade and make a break for it. His odds of getting away weren't bad, either.

"Is Terra here?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain steady. Now was not the time to show fear, though his heart recoiled at what he knew was about to happen.

"Yes, he is."

"Let him go. I promise I won't run or attack. If I do, the deal is over."

"Very well."

It took every ounce of strength and courage left in his body to stay rooted to the spot. Footsteps made their way towards him, and his whole body tensed, not knowing who was approaching in the dim light. When the tall, hulking figure spoke, it was not with Xehanort's voice. Two strong hands gripped Sora's arms, fingers wrapped so tightly around them that he could feel his skin bruising.

"Sora, I won't let you do this! What happened to me is my fault and mine alone. It isn't your burden to bear!"

Sora sighed in relief. Terra really was here, just like Xehanort had said.

 _I can save him. I can keep my promise to Aqua._

"No, Terra. It's Xehanort's fault," Sora said, his voice low. "Now go, before he changes his mind."

He couldn't be brave much longer. Each moment he had to wait, his stomach churned and his heart cried out at what was about to happen to it.

Terra wasn't about to give in that easily. He fought Xehanort, he fought Ansem, he fought Xemnas, he fought Xigbar, he fought every last person sent after him. But in the end, Xehanort's control held, and he wasn't above to give Terra any further say in the matter.

By the time it was all over, Sora's legs had turned to mush and he had to stagger against the steps behind him for support. Terra loomed above him, his face cast in shadow from the strange orange light as he held Xehanort's Keyblade high in the air.

"Sora, no! I won't do this to you!" His arms trembled as he struggled to lower them.

Sora grabbed the Keyblade and steered it towards Terra's chest. "Aqua and Ven are gonna be really glad to see you."

Terra groaned. "You think they'll be happy once they found out the price you paid?"

"Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made."

Sora hoped Terra couldn't hear the trembling in his voice.

"Do you really have no regard for your own life?" Terra hissed. "You have no idea what hell it is, to not have any control over your own heart and body, to watch helpless as that monster uses you to hurt the people you love. I've been fighting him all these years. I've regained control little by little. You don't need to do this. I can overcome his possession, I swear. I have my mind back now. I have a plan. It won't be long before I can—"

Terra cried out. Xehanort had grown impatient, plunging the Keyblade into his chest and pulling Xehanort's heart out with it. The glow cast by the heart illuminated Terra's face. His hair returned to its natural color, and the yellow left his eyes as they went back to their original blue.

After years of torment, his heart and body were free at last. Sora smiled briefly at the proof of his success. Xehanort had held up his end of the bargain so far. It was time for Sora to fulfill his.

Terra was panicking now. He lunged at Sora, only for Luxord and Xaldin to block the way. "Sora, no! You can't do this! There has to be another way!" he shouted, trying to get past them.

"And just watch as my friends get hurt or captured?" Sora asked. "Watch them try to carry out an impossible mission that could cost us everything? I can't let that happen. I can't."

He'd found a way to free Terra and keep Kairi safe without any fighting. This was the best deal the Guardians of Light were going to get. They couldn't afford another loss, not when they needed as many people to fight Xehanort as possible.

Terra was dragged away by Xigbar, Xemnas, and Ansem, cast out so that he couldn't interfere with what was about to happen. It was just Sora, Sora and a room full of people who considered him their worst enemy. Sweat dripped down his face and he closed his eyes. All it would take to end this, right here and now, was to connect his friends' hearts to his and call them for help. They would come save him; he knew they would.

But no, he couldn't. He shouldn't. If he failed to keep his part of the deal, Xehanort might go back on his word. For Terra's sake, for Kairi's safety, he had to see this through to the end. He could only hope the end would come quickly.

"It's really too bad, boss. Does this mean we don't get to kill him?" Xigbar asked.

"Death comes in many forms," Xemnas said. "There is physical death, in which the body and soul are separated from one another. The splitting of the body and heart could be seen as another form of death, but it is a death that creates new life, the Heartless and the Nobodies. And… there is death of the self, in which one loses oneself, only to be reborn as something greater."

"In other words, Xigbar, no. I am not denying you your revenge, not at all." Xehanort smiled, and a chill went down Sora's spine.

With a sickening feeling, he realized Xehanort was dragging things out intentionally, relishing the fear and terror he felt. The longer it took, the more agonizing the wait became. Which was probably the entire point.

 _Maybe he needs me to be afraid for this to work. Maybe he needs my heart to be filled with bad feelings._

His lip curled. "Just get it over with already."

"Did I hear myself correctly?" Xehanort asked, crossing his arms behind his back and walking around Sora in a slow, deliberate circle. "Are you begging me to make you my final Seeker?"

Sora balled his fists. It wasn't enough that he was about to give himself up; no, he had to be humiliated, too.

He fixed Xehanort with a glare. "I'm not doing any of this for you."

Xehanort stopped. "This is about your friends again, isn't it? You think I don't know what it's like to have them. Really, Sora, you should take a look around you." He gestured to the people who were closing in on them, little by little. "You will soon by joining their ranks."

Sora had to laugh. "You call these people your friends? They're your pawns, and you'd throw away each and every one of them in an instant if it meant reaching your goal."

This was the man who was willing to cast away his own body, if it meant furthering his plans. He'd proven time and again that he didn't care about people or their hearts, so long as he got what he wanted in the end.

"And yet here you are, throwing yourself away for one of your friends," Xehanort said. "Tell me, how is that any different from what my Seekers have done for me?"

Sora's arms dropped to his sides, and he stared at Xehanort in disbelief. "It's completely different! However afraid I may be right now, however much I may dread what you're going to do to me, I made my decision freely. I wanted to save Terra. None of these people here had that choice. You don't have any friends, just tools."

Xehanort scoffed. "Let's see how you feel about your noble sacrifice after I'm through with you."

He gave the Seekers instructions on what to do next. Luxord and Xaldin grabbed Sora and dragged him up the stairs to an ornate black throne. After they'd chained him to it, Xehanort gave the Seekers only one rule. Sora had to be in fighting condition when they were done with him.

In a universe filled with magic and healing potions, that left an awful lot of room for injury.

Sora tried to ignore how tightly the restraints dug into his skin. Escaping at this point would be difficult, if not impossible. But it didn't matter; he'd given his word, and he was going to stick to it. He would see this through to the end, even if it meant—

"Vanitas," Xehanort said.

"Yes?" Vanitas answered. He emerged from the shadows, the light and dark flickering across his unmasked face.

"Perhaps you would like to go first?"

Vanitas glanced at Sora. An expression that was almost like pity flickered across his features, then it was gone.

"No thanks." His voice had a harder edge to it than normal, almost bitter. Sora couldn't believe his ears. Vanitas was giving up his chance for revenge?

He searched Vanitas's eyes, and a moment of understanding passed between the two of them. Xehanort might be his master, but it was still his fault his apprentice had become half a person. Vanitas still blamed him for that.

 _All he wanted was to be whole again. No wonder he lashed out at me for taking Ven out of my heart._

Xehanort was not pleased with this development. "Vanitas, I am disappointed in you. Perhaps you need a reminder about the importance of an apprentice's loyalty to his master?"

Vanitas's eyes filled with fear at the threat, and Sora felt sick to his stomach. Kairi had been right. Had anyone ever shown Vanitas kindness or compassion?

"Stop." Chained to the throne though he was, Sora couldn't just watch Xehanort inflict whatever punishment he had in mind on Vanitas. "Xehanort, this is between you and me. Vanitas has nothing to do with this."

Xehanort turned his attention back to Sora. "I will be the judge of that. Vanitas, summon the Unversed. They will prey on the fear in his heart."

Vanitas paused. "I won't. You don't need them. You can torture him yourself just fine."

In that moment Sora had the awful feeling Vanitas was speaking from personal experience.

Xehanort was silent for a moment as Vanitas stared him down. Then he relaxed and even allowed himself a small smile. "Very well, Vanitas. If you insist. We will speak of this more later."

He turned to the Riku Replica and made him the same offer, only to receive a similarly lukewarm response. Even Vexen looked uncomfortable with what was about to happen, commenting on the excessive brutality of it with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

"As interesting as the data we might glean from such an endeavor might be, hurting Sora any more than is necessary is counterproductive to your goals, Xehanort. You wish him to be able to fight, do you not? He can't do that if he's too damaged."

"Don't worry, Vexen," Ansem said. "You are correct. His body needs to be in fighting condition, and we will ensure it remains that way. All we have to do is get his heart to succumb."

Xehanort nodded. "Are you sure you want no part of it?"

Vexen nodded, and Isa, too, was reluctant to hurt Sora, when before he had relished the chance to break his heart. What Lea had said to him must have had more of an effect than Sora had thought.

He was touched in spite of himself. Maybe Xehanort's iron grip on his Seekers wasn't as strong as he'd thought. They still seemed to have wills of their own, at least.

Xehanort's eyes twitched. "Very well, I will do it myself. I hope this isn't a sign that you all have begun to doubt our goal."

The threat hung in the air, and no one said anything. Sora's heart sank. _I should've expected as much, and yet—_

He'd wanted someone, anyone to speak up. But it wasn't surprising that they hadn't. Any dissent would be crushed with a vengeance. And Xehanort still had his loyal inner guard who were more than willing to help him hurt Sora. They all had plenty of reason to, after all.

As Sora stared up into Xehanort's eyes, Xehanort leaned close and gave him that awful smile again. "You really aren't going to fight back, are you? I must say, I'm impressed. You're a man of your word. Foolish and naïve, perhaps, but loyal to the end. Just like Terra."

Sora closed his eyes and clutched the armrests of the throne as it began. _Terra. I hope you get to see Aqua and Ven again soon. Say hi to them for me. And… if you see Kairi, tell her I—_

Darkness in and of itself wasn't evil, but surely Xehanort's darkness was an exception. The man was completely without remorse and had thrown away even basic human empathy. Maybe once he had felt compassion for other people, but he'd chosen to rid himself of it in his search for Kingdom Hearts.

His heart was so opposite to what everything Sora stood for that feeling it encroaching upon his own made him sick. He coughed and gagged, his body violently rejecting such an awful heart.

"Hmmm, he's not ready yet," Xehanort said. "We need to prepare his heart more."

Whatever physical abuse they inflicted upon him didn't compare to the emotional and mental anguish he suffered. For Xehanort had taken all of Sora's natural empathy and compassion and figured out how to use it against him. He tapped into Sora's connections to his friends and drew from their memories to supply his material.

Xion's anguish when she fought Roxas and everyone forgot her. Riku's guilt and self-loathing when he realized what he'd done to his friends. Naminé's loneliness and abuse at the hands of the Organization. Roxas losing Xion and being made to feel like he didn't deserve to exist. Lea's despair as he lost his future and then his friends.

The pain Ven felt when his heart shattered. The violation and rage Terra experienced at having his heart and body stolen from him. Aqua wondering if she was going crazy in the realm of darkness, her self-doubt and isolation breaking her mental fortitude little by little.

Sora's mind was filled with horrible images, of everything his friends had already suffered through, of all the things Xehanort planned to do to them. His heart ached for them. The hurt of those he had sheltered in his heart came back to him full force, and there was no one to help him bear the pain this time.

He had to do it all himself, and it was breaking him, piece by agonizing piece. When he thought he was past the breaking point, Xehanort proved him wrong by piling on more.

"Your ability to handle all of this is really quite impressive. But surely there is a limit to how much you can bear."

But they still hadn't hit it, and Sora was beginning to think he might die before they did. His heart was crying out in agony, begging him to put an end to this. It had never been pushed this far before, past the breaking point and yet refusing to be broken. He almost wished it would. Then maybe Xehanort would finally stop.

"Let's see what happens when I do this." Now, on top of his friends' pain, Xehanort started adding that of his Seekers. Sora screamed. His back arched, and his head slammed against the back of the throne. The restraints dug into his arms and wrists and rubbed the skin raw as the room swam around him.

Isa. Experimented on till his heart and body had split. Vanitas. Forcibly removed from Ven. Not once had anyone shown him love or compassion since, not till Kairi had tried. Even the Unversed brought him pain when they were destroyed. And the Riku Replica's heart had been taken hostage and forced into a new body after he had tried to find peace.

Life after life after life, all ruined for the sake of one man's obsession. Sora's anguished screams filled the air as the tears in his heart went deeper and deeper, reaching his very core.

Xehanort regarded Sora with fascination. "You're holding it all. Incredible. Are you sure you're human?"

Sora couldn't answer. It just hurt too much. For the first time in his life, he wanted to die. Death would be a sweet release from this horrible nightmare.

The darkness was being poured into him now. It crushed him under its weight and engulfed him in its cold, suffocating grasp. Ugly thoughts filled his head and poisoned his heart. He wanted them out, but they refused to leave. His mind slowly slipped out of his control as his heart and body succumbed.

 _Your friends don't care about you. Otherwise they would have come to rescue you by now._

 _No, it's not true!_ But the sting of abandonment and betrayal coursed through him all the same.

 _You sacrificed everything for them, and this is how they repay you._

He shook his head, trying to block out the doubt and sorrow filling his heart. He'd asked them not to come. No betrayal had taken place. No abandonment had occurred. That was just his heart playing tricks on him, frightened and scared as it was.

 _You feel compassion for some of the people here now, and not one of them has lifted a finger to help you._

 _They can't! Xehanort will hurt them if they try. It's not their fault!_

 _That's what you want to think. Face it, Sora. There's no way to save these people. They're too far gone. And so are you._

It wouldn't be long now. The strain on his heart was too great.

"Kairi doesn't love you," Xaldin's voice said, foggy and far away. But it pulled Sora back from the brink. He lifted his head and spoke, his voice hoarse but unwavering.

"Like I'm supposed to believe that?"

He thought of her, of her kind smile and beautiful eyes, of her determination to do what was right and help others no matter what. He thought of the way she threw herself into danger to protect the people she loved. He thought of how she teased him, how she was always giving him gifts made just for him.

And the way she looked at him, with such tenderness and adoration in her eyes – his heart swelled with love and affection as he thought about how much she loved him, too.

"When you told her you loved her, she didn't say it back," Xehanort said, accessing his memories and using them to taunt him.

But the mocking had the opposite intended effect. Sora scoffed instead. "Is that really the best you can come up with? She doesn't have to say a single thing. I know how she feels about me."

When he'd connected their hearts together for the first time and she'd healed him – he knew what it was he'd seen and felt. No amount of taunting from Xehanort could shake his confidence.

But then Xehanort smiled, and a stab of fear pierced him to the core.

"Ah, yes. Tell me, how will she feel when she sees you again?"

Cold dread wrapped its way around Sora's heart. "I'm not going anywhere near her. And neither are you. We made a deal, remember?"

Xehanort laughed. "Oh, I know. I won't lay a single finger on her. The sight of you in my possession alone will be enough to break her heart. Her pure, precious Sora, her knight in shining armor, her hero, twisted into my image, the very picture of evil in her mind."

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked, even though he wasn't sure he wanted the answer. Xehanort was her enemy as much as everyone else's, but this sounded different.

 _This sounds like there's something I don't know._

"She never told you, did she?" Xehanort said.

Sora's heart pounded and his stomach lurched. "Told me what?"

"You've seen your friend's memories, Sora, but how will you react to mine?"

Before Sora could say or do anything else, a new memory forced its way inside his heart and mind. He found himself inside a dimly lit lab. A great tank filled with swirling gases was attached to the nearby wall and ceiling by a series of metal pipes. With a start he realized he recognized this place from the End of the World. If he had to guess, it had probably once been a part of Radiant Garden.

He wasn't alone. A young girl with red hair was there, too. She wore a small lab coat over her normal clothes and clung to Ansem's, no, to Xehanort's, hand.

"Where's my grandma?" She looked up at Xehanort, her big violet eyes filled with concern, and Sora's heart froze.

 _Please, no._

The tank towered above her, and Sora could see now that there was more than just gas inside. It was filled with Heartless. They were scratching and scraping at the walls of their cage. No doubt searching for hearts, searching for the very lifeblood of humanity and the world itself.

"Don't worry, you'll see your grandma again soon," Xehanort said. He untangled his fingers from Kairi's grasp and strolled over to an ominous-looking machine that was hooked up to the tank. Leaning over, he typed a series of commands into its keyboard.

Kairi frowned and looked at the tank. An Emblem Heartless regarded her with its soulless yellow eyes, and she shrank away from it and inched towards Xehanort, towards the only other human in the room. "What's that? I don't like it. It's… it's bad."

Xehanort said nothing. Instead, he pulled down some sort of contraption from the wall. "Here, put your arms in this."

Kairi, too young to understand, too trusting to know otherwise, did as he asked. Next he attached various wires to her body to monitor her vital signs, and then he wrapped a cord around her waist. It had to be looped around twice because she was so small.

"Kairi, no! You have to run! You have to get away from him!" Sora tried to wrench the awful wires and cords off of her, but his hands went straight through them. She didn't hear his warning, either, and Xehanort hoisted her into the air. Her short legs dangled over the opening of the tank, and panic filled her face.

"I don't want to go in there!" She looked at Xehanort, eyes wide and lip trembling. "I want my grandma! Please!"

Sora couldn't take this anymore. "Stop! Don't do this to her!"

"This won't take long," Xehanort said, ignoring him and inputting a few commands into the nearby machine. Sora could only watch as the apparatus slowly lowered her into the tank. She kicked and screamed, tears streaking her chubby cheeks as she called for her grandmother. Her tiny fists pounded against the glass of the tank, and the creatures swarming below her took interest.

"Stop, please," Sora begged, his own fists pounding against the outside of the glass to no avail. His eyes burned and the room swam around him. He tried to stop the machine. Tried to input a sequence, any sequence that might lift her up and out of that awful tank filled with Heartless and into his arms.

When that failed, all he could offer was his heart to suffer along with her. "Kairi," he called. "Kairi, I'm here!"

But she couldn't hear him. She couldn't even see him. He might as well be a ghost for all the effect he had. He could only watch as the Heartless leapt at her feet and tried to sink their awful claws into her skin. Each one of her terrified screams hurt worse than the Keyblade that had once pierced his heart to free hers.

"Put me in there instead," he pleaded. Surely Xehanort could hear him and would take him up on his offer. "Tear my heart out, torture me, force me to relive a thousand terrible memories. I don't care what you do to me, just let her go."

"This is in the past, Sora," Xehanort said. "All of this has already happened. There is nothing you can do to change it."

It was pointless to try, but Sora did anyway. He called out to Kairi till his voice was gone. He fought the cold grip around his heart to try to reach her, to break into the memory and save her.

But he couldn't. There really was nothing he could do to stop it, just like Xehanort had said. All of this had already happened, long ago, and he was nothing but a spectator, a bystander, forced to watch as the person that meant more to him than anything suffered with no hope of reprieve.

He wished with all of his heart that he was the one inside that tank instead. That would be easier to bear than this current torment. Every tear that she cried, every scream that escaped from her tiny body, every Heartless that clawed at her skin, was carved into his heart and seared into his memory.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he glimpsed a crimson trail of blood dripping down her leg. Something deep inside of him came undone, and he slumped to the ground. The sight of her blood, blood that should be safe inside of her body, sustaining her and keeping her alive, not oozing out of that awful gash, was too much. It was horrible and wrong and he couldn't make it stop.

When he was sure the Heartless would succeed in their mission to tear her heart out, a great light finally drove them away. No, _she_ drove the darkness away, just like she always did. At last Xehanort had the proof he wanted so badly he would drop a child into a tank full of Heartless. With a shudder Sora wondered how many of those other Heartless had once been children.

Then Xehanort lifted her out of that horrible tank, and Sora wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and comfort her. The edges of her coat were shredded and her legs were still bleeding. He wanted to heal them, to reassure her that he was here and he knew what had happened and he was sorry he couldn't make it stop but he would protect her from now on and—

"Protect her?" Xehanort scoffed, tearing Sora out of the memory and back to reality. "She doesn't need your protection. She's quite capable of taking care of herself, as you just saw. And even if she wasn't, you're hardly up to the task. You couldn't protect her from this. You couldn't protect her from losing her heart. You couldn't even protect her from getting kidnapped."

"Shut up," Sora spat, his voice so hoarse it was barely even there anymore. "I don't care what you do to me. I will protect her from you."

"Oh you will, will you?" Xehanort said. "Face the facts, Sora. Your heart belongs to the darkness now, and you can no sooner protect her from it than you can protect yourself."

"That doesn't matter. I won't let you hurt her."

Xehanort's eyes gleamed. "You still don't understand, do you? Then let me spell it out for you. I don't have to lay a single finger on her to keep my word to you. You are about to become the very thing she hates. The very man you just watched experiment on her. Seeing you in my image alone will be more than enough to break her heart."

"No… no…" Even as Sora denied it, he knew it was true. The last fragment of his heart, which had held out so strongly until now, finally broke for her. He didn't want to become the person who had brought her such torment. He didn't want her to see him like this. He wanted to spare her the pain she would feel because she loved him so much.

Before he'd taken comfort in her love, and now it was the very source of his agony.

He knew how he would feel if their roles were switched, how she would soon feel, and empathy dealt his heart the final blow. The pain in it leaked out, finding physical form in every tear that he wept. Then the dam burst. The waves spilled over and swept him up, drowning the light from his eyes and the life in his heart.

"Kairi, I'm sorry," he whispered between shuddering sobs that wracked his entire body.

Xehanort saw his window of opportunity and took it. The darkness invaded, choking out everything else. Sora broke the restraints, crying out as they tore into his skin. He clutched his throat and gasped as Xehanort's iron grip squeezed its way around his heart.

 _Cold… It's so cold…_

 _Kairi, what's happening to me? I can't… I can't feel the light anymore…_


	16. Chapter 16 - Comfort

Chapter 16 – Comfort

Kairi found herself in a long, dimly lit hallway. Up ahead was a doorway, and she walked as if in a trance towards it. Her footsteps echoed in the silence, dread building and building within her the closer she got to the door. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands on it and pushed it open.

A great tank loomed before her, filled with a swirling miasma of different colored gases. Inside the tank were Heartless, too, scratching at the glass and looking for a way out.

Her heart pounded, her pulse raced, her vision swam, and the room in the air suddenly seemed a lot thicker. Normally, being around Heartless made her feel uneasy, but this… this was something else.

 _I… I'm afraid. Why? Why am I so scared?_

Within moments, she found herself inside of the tank. The Heartless swarmed around her and the room spun. A sickening sense of déjà vu swept over her as the Heartless clawed at her feet and legs.

"Someone, anyone, let me out of here!" She pounded on the glass, wishing she could remove the barrier, hoping to destroy it so she could be free. "Please—"

Something inside of her snapped. _No. You've depended on other people for long enough. You're the only one who can defend yourself. Stand on your own two feet for once._

She cleared her head and called on the light deep within her heart. With a great flash, it obliterated all the Heartless inside the tank, and she collapsed to the ground.

When the light had faded and the swirling gases had cleared enough to see, a figure wearing a black coat and hood was slumped on the ground next to the tank. Its hands were pressed against the glass on the other side so hard its fingers shook.

Her Keyblade appeared in her hands, a defensive reflex that was practically second nature at this point.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" she demanded.

The figure lifted its head as if it took a great deal of effort and staggered to its feet. Taking a step backwards to gather momentum, it lunged forward and struck the glass with such force that the walls of the tank shattered into a thousand pieces. Shards of glass flew through the air and landed on the ground like countless tiny bells ringing all at once. Kairi put up a barrier around herself just in time, sparing herself from death by a thousand cuts.

The figure wasn't so lucky. But it hardly seems to care that its hand was bleeding. It simply took a step closer to her and said, "Your heart."

His voice was familiar and yet not. It sounded awful, strained and low and hoarse, and she couldn't quite place it because it was nearly gone anyway.

 _Probably an enemy I've met before. Of course. It's never gonna end, is it? Someone'll be after me and my stupid heart full of light until the day I die._

"Sorry, it's already spoken for," she said. "I gave it to someone a long time ago." She ducked out of the way, her feet crunching on shards of broken glass, then steadied herself and charged.

He still hadn't summoned any sort of weapon, and when she swung hers at him, he simply used the darkness to teleport behind her.

"Who did you give it to?" he asked.

"None of your business. Someone like you wouldn't understand." A black coat meant he was probably an Organization member out to get her, and that made him an enemy.

She hit him with light magic that made him stagger backwards, and he cried out and clutched his chest.

"You're wrong," he said, his voice breaking. "I do understand. Kairi, it's me."

His hood fell back, and she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Sora?" She let her Keyblade disappear. "Is that really you?"

His voice was wrong and his appearance was blurred, like she was looking at him but couldn't quite see his face. And why was he wearing a black coat instead of his usual clothes? Why had the light hurt him?

None of this made any sense, but she couldn't deny what was right in front of her.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I know," was all he said, covering his eyes with his hand.

"You know what?"

He was silent. Great. Even after all this time, he still wouldn't be honest and open with her. Hadn't he promised he would talk to her about what was bothering him? Then why wasn't he saying anything?

She felt like a broken record at this point. "Sora, I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

"I'm here." His voice cracked as he said the words, as if they explained everything about his strange appearance here when really, they told her nothing at all.

She sighed. "Yes, you're here. What I'm wondering is, why—"

She started. His lower lip was trembling and his shoulders were shaking.

"Sora?" She took a step towards him.

He finally removed his hand and looked her in the eye, and his eyes were red and watery and so filled with sorrow that for a moment she thought something terrible must have happened.

She hated seeing him like this. Whatever it was that was making him hurt, she wanted to put an end to it.

"Kairi," he pleaded, holding his arms open wide. She didn't hesitate. She ran towards him.

As she did, the curious thought struck her that he needed this more than she did. This lab was from her nightmares, and yet Sora was here and begging her to come to him. Taking down each barrier, one by one, until nothing stood between the two of them.

Something about this place hurt him. Why? Why did it hurt him?

She was close, so very close to him now. But just before his arms could go around her and bring her into his embrace, the dream ended and her eyes flew open. She sat up, only to realize her heart was pounding and her breath was coming in short gasps.

"What… what was that all about?"

Her hand went to her heart. There was a throbbing ache there, and dream or not, the memory of her almost hug with Sora, of the denied touch and comfort, felt like a real, physical need. She was awake now, but she still wanted to hold him. She wanted to feel his arms around her, safe and warm and secure.

As she untangled herself from her quilt so she could do just that, her hand brushed against something hard and firm resting on the sheets near her pillow.

"My diary?"

* * *

"Aqua? Are you awake?"

"I am now." Aqua rolled over and opened one eye. "What is it, Ven?"

"I can't sleep." There were dark shadows under his eyes, and he was fully dressed.

She sat up and yawned. The strap of her black tank top slipped down her shoulder, and she sleepily readjusted it. "Nightmares again?"

"Yeah. I woke up, and I couldn't go back to sleep."

Aqua frowned as her brain tried to deal with this information. "How are you feeling now? Would a walk help?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Maybe it'll get my mind off everything."

Her eyes flickered to the little cuckoo clock on the wall. 6:30 am. Well, it was early, but not so early she couldn't drag herself out of bed.

"Gimme a minute."

"Sure. I'll meet you outside."

Her usual hot shower could come later, after the walk. She stumbled into her clothes and ran a hand through her tangled hair. Her reflection in the old oak mirror stared back, blue eyes still bleary with sleep.

"About time for a haircut," she muttered as she pulled her hair back into the world's shortest ponytail. Maybe Kairi could lend her a hand. She made a mental note to ask her about it later.

Ven was waiting for her outside as promised. He fell into pace beside her, and they strolled along the empty streets of Radiant Garden. It was too early for even the food vendors to be out yet, but the scenery was nice all the same. Thatched houses lined the cobblestone streets, their dark roofs standing in stark contrast to the pink and purple of the sky.

"Big day tomorrow, huh?" Ven finally said.

"Is that why you couldn't sleep?" Aqua had had trouble falling asleep herself after the party. Tomorrow was the day they were going to rescue Terra. All sorts of thoughts had been going through her head in anticipation, to say nothing of the constant changes in her emotions.

"Partly. But there's something else, too." He clutched his chest, wrinkling the fabric over his heart. "Aqua, something's wrong. The nightmare I had earlier wasn't normal."

She paused. "What do you mean? How was it different from your other ones?"

Ven took a deep breath. "It was different because… because my heart felt like it was breaking all over again."

That was not what Aqua wanted to hear. Images of Ven with those horrible golden eyes flickered into her mind, followed by memories of his years of sleep, and she shoved them aside and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Ven—"

He looked up into her eyes, a pained look in his own. "I don't know why. I don't know why I'm hurting."

She hugged him. "It must be your memories of what happened, coming back to haunt you."

Even after they were free from Xehanort, he was still managing to torment them.

They continued on, eventually finding themselves by the Fountain Court, which had finally finished being rebuilt. They sprawled across the little footbridge and gazed into the water.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Ven said softly. She studied him carefully in the early morning light. His hair still looked like a gust of wind had swept through it, fitting for his name. It framed his boyish features and contrasted nicely with his vibrant blue eyes. Despite the time that had passed, he hadn't aged much.

And yet, there was a world-weariness to him that betrayed what he'd been through. She supposed she was similar. No one spent as much time in the realm of darkness as she had without being affected, after all.

She turned her attention to her reflection in the water. A small voice in the back of her mind wondered what Terra would think. Would he notice the worry lines etched into her face and the crinkles around her eyes? What would he be like when they got him back? Would the years of her absence and Ven's long sleep be reflected in his face, too?

Her musings were interrupted by a splash of water to the face. She groaned and wiped water out of her eyes.

"Ven, please. It's too early for this."

"That wasn't me!" he protested. She turned to him in confusion. Sure enough, his face and hair were dripping water, too.

"Then who—"

A deep, throaty laugh was her reply. "Really, Aqua, who else would it be?"

 _No, it can't be._ But it was. Terra was crouched low in the water nearby. His eyes were their natural color again, and they softened when he smiled at them. And his hair. His hair was no longer silver. It was back to its usual brown. The years that had passed were reflected in the crinkle lines around his eyes, but for Aqua that only made his face more beautiful.

She and Ven didn't hesitate. The three of them went sprawling, a tangle of arms and legs and overjoyed sobbing. No one cared that they were soaking wet. It didn't matter. In that moment, nothing else did except for the fact that Terra was here.

He welcomed them both into his embrace. She and Ven always used to tease him about how hugging him was like hugging a wooden board, solid and stiff and proper. But the years had changed him, either that or their long separation. He was the one who clung to them like his life depended on it now. Aqua melted in his arms, feeling safe and whole at long last. She let the tears flow freely. When she glanced at Ven, he was doing the same. And Terra, usually the stoic one, was the most emotional of them all.

When he finally let go, it was so he could look them in the eye. "Aqua, Ven, will you forgive me?"

Ven smiled up at him through his tears. "I think we already did, a long time ago."

"What you did while Xehanort had you wasn't your fault." Aqua didn't want him to blame himself, though she knew he would.

"Maybe so, but he still used me to do it. I have to atone for what I've done."

"Well, you can start by helping us defeat him then," Ven said. "Hang on, I've gotta go tell the others!" He sprung to his feet and took off, giving Aqua a knowing look.

It was just the two of them now. Aqua was very aware of this fact as their eyes met. Where had all the air gone? Her chest heaved and her mouth felt dry as she tried to get enough oxygen to her brain. Terra moved closer. She tried to steady the trembling in her hands, wondering if he could see how much she wanted to—

He pulled her close, and she pressed herself against him, glad she fit so perfectly in his arms. This hug was very different from the one they'd shared with Ven earlier, and Aqua could feel it in every place Terra's body came into contact with hers. She understood now why Sora and Kairi couldn't seem to go two seconds without hugging or holding hands or otherwise finding an excuse to shower each other with physical affection.

"I missed you so much," she whispered.

His grip around her tightened. "I missed you too."

She'd dreamed of this moment, over and over and over again, but nothing came close to the reality.

"Welcome back, Terra."

* * *

Terra's heart ached. Happy as he was to be reunited with Aqua and Ven, he knew the cost of his freedom, and he had to tell them. He had to tell her.

"Aqua, listen," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders.

She gave him a curious look, surprised by the sudden intensity of his gaze. "What is it?

"There's something I have to tell you."

Ven returned to them with Riku in tow before he could continue. Riku. He was a Keyblade Master now, doing what Terra himself had never been able to accomplish. Terra had never felt more proud in his life. He was about to tell him as much when he noticed the look on his face.

"Terra, um, welcome back," Riku said. "Have you seen Sora?"

Aqua knit her eyebrows together. "He's missing?"

"Yeah, we haven't been able to find him anywhere."

 _Terra, it wasn't your fault._

"It's my fault," Terra whispered, barely managing to suppress the rage welling up inside of him. He was furious at himself for his failure to protect Sora, horrified by what he knew must be happening to him right now, if it hadn't already.

"Terra?" Aqua asked. She tried to touch his arm, but he flinched away from her. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve any of this.

"He made a deal with Xehanort." His fists clenched at his sides. "I-I couldn't stop him. Xehanort threw me out."

Ven and Aqua simply looked at him in horror. Riku, on the other hand, was determined to get the whole story. He marched up to Terra and grabbed his shirt.

"What were the terms?" he asked, his voice low. Terra didn't answer. Riku repeated himself, dangerously calm for someone Terra knew was fuming on the inside.

"He – he traded places with me."

Riku released his grip. He closed his eyes, and his face scrunched up as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "Sora, you _idiot._ "

Aqua looked like she wanted to cry, and Ven's face was deathly pale. "I wish we'd never met him," he whispered. She wrapped her arms around him, and he buried his face in her shoulder. "We've brought him nothing but pain. Aqua, I was hurting because of him. My heart knew something was wrong, and I was just too stupid to see it. That wasn't my pain, it was his."

"Then we owe it to him to rescue him," Terra said. They all turned and looked at him. "I'm going to save him. Who's with me?"

Riku stepped forward. "I am." As his steady gaze met Terra's, Terra knew he couldn't have chosen a better successor. They were reunited at long last, ready to fulfill the oath they had sworn together so long ago.

In that moment, Terra thought that maybe, just maybe, they stood a fighting chance against Xehanort.

* * *

Dear Kairi,

By the time you get this letter, what I'm writing about has probably already happened. I went to Xehanort to make a deal with him. If I haven't come back, and Terra has, then that means Xehanort has agreed to my terms.

Before you say that there must have been another way, hear me out. Our plan wouldn't have worked. There's no way we could face the true Organization and save Terra without massive losses. And odds are good we would have just created the χ-blade instead.

I'm the one Xehanort's wanted all along. That was what he was talking about, when he said I could save Terra back at the Keyblade Graveyard. I know he won't be able to resist making the deal. Maybe he would be willing to trade you for Terra instead of me, but that's one sacrifice I can't make.

It's funny, but when it comes to my own heart, I have no problems putting it on the line. But just the thought of you getting hurt is unbearable.

Sorry I didn't tell you about my plan beforehand. I knew that if I did, you would've stopped me. It's why I pushed you away. You were right, and I hid what was wrong with me when you deserved to know the truth.

I know it's too late to apologize, but I want to anyway. Kairi, it hurt me to push you away. And I did a really bad job of it, which meant you got hurt even worse. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. My feelings are the same as ever, and you didn't do anything wrong.

The distance I tried to put between us was more for my sake than yours. I couldn't bear to be too close to you. I knew that if I allowed myself that, I wouldn't be able to leave you. But I couldn't… I couldn't stay away from you completely, either. So I settled for the most selfish option. I'm sorry.

I've got one last request to make. Please don't hold back if you have to fight me. It'll break my heart to fight you, and I really don't want you to come after me, but I know that's wishful thinking. Just… try to avoid the fight that will create the χ-blade. My heart and body are a small price to pay for everyone else's freedom and safety. I hope you understand.

If I have one regret, it's that our time together was never enough. I could spend entire lifetimes with you by my side and it still wouldn't be. You're my light, and without you, I'd be lost.

Right now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind. But then I think of you, and I find the courage to move forward.

I'll treasure my memories of you till the day I die. Thank you, for everything.

Yours truly,

Sora

* * *

When Riku found Kairi, she was sitting on her bed and staring at the wall. Her head tilted to one side as he came in, but she didn't turn around to face him.

"That idiot promised he'd talk to me, and he thinks this," she said, lifting a small diary in the air, "counts as talking."

Riku's stomach churned. _I can't believe you, Sora. Did you really think writing a letter would make up for what you just did?_

"Oh, and don't get me started on the nightmares," she continued, her voice thick. "Because I had one last night, and he – he was in it."

Riku's heart sank. Ven had said he'd had nightmares, too, and so had Roxas and Xion. Didn't take a genius to put two and two together and figure out the common thread there.

"Really," Kairi paused and placed the diary back on her lap, "after all this time, he still doesn't trust me enough to tell me what's going on. Sheesh, who does he think I am? I'm not just some damsel in distress. I could have helped him. I could have stopped him from doing this."

"Kairi—"

"He's too much of a hero for his own good. Always putting other people before himself."

"Kairi..."

She laughed, her voice unnaturally high. "It's one of the things I love about him. But right now, I just— I want him here with me. I didn't want… I didn't want him to be brave. Is that selfish, Riku? Is it selfish to want him here with me?"

Her tears fell onto the diary, and they formed big wet splotches on its blank pages.

Riku had never felt more like punching Sora in his life than in that moment. He was furious at him for taking matters into his own hands again, ignoring all the careful plans they'd made.

 _Sora, I wish you could see Kairi right now. Then maybe you would've thought twice before running off and abandoning her like this._

But more than that, he was angry with himself for not seeing this coming.

 _How could I have missed all the warning signs? Some friend I am. I should have known something was wrong last night, and now it's too late. Now the darkness has you._

The thought of Sora in Xehanort's hands was still too much to bear.

 _I never wanted that for you. I never wanted you to go through what I went through._

But all the hoping and wishing in the worlds couldn't change what had happened, so he took a deep breath and focused on the one person he could help right now.

"Kairi."

She finally looked at him, face blotchy and cheeks streaked with tears. She wiped her nose on her arm, sniffing loudly as she tried to unclog her nose and throat.

"He's gone," she choked out.

"I know. Terra told us what happened."

This brought about a fresh round of crying. She cradled the little book in her arms and curled in on herself, her whole body wracked with sobs.

Riku couldn't take it anymore. He sat on the bed beside her and pulled her into his embrace. She sobbed into his shoulder, snot and tears mingling and spreading all over his shirt, but neither of them cared. He ran his hand across her back, whispering every comforting word he could think of into her ear.

 _Sora, this should be you comforting her, not me. No, she shouldn't have a reason to be crying in the first place, you idiot._

"He – he doesn't want us to come after him," she sniffed.

"Then he's stupider than I thought."

"No, he knows we will. But he told me to avoid the fight that'll make the χ-blade."

Riku scoffed. "The idiot just guaranteed it will be. You should have seen everyone when they heard the news. They'll fight to the death to save him, especially after all he's done for them."

"He knows that. But Riku, he begged us not to come. He said… he said he doesn't want to fight me. And I – I don't want to fight him, either," she sobbed. "But he told me… he told me not to hold back, and…" She trailed off, crying too hard to continue.

Riku sighed. What had possessed Sora to do something like this? He had a hero complex, to be sure, but this was a whole new level, even for him. It was going beyond heroics and somewhere into the realm of martyrdom. And while Sora had always had a sacrificial nature, this was less sacrifice and more recklessly throwing his life away.

Then it hit Riku. That was just it. They'd gone on and on about Sora saving everyone for so long that it must have finally gone to his head. His entire identity had become wrapped around his role of savior. Once that was complete, he saw himself as expendable, not even worthy of having his own life anymore. It was oddly self-centered, in a way. Riku only had to take one look at Kairi to see that.

"Don't think of it like that," Riku said. "We won't be fighting Sora. Not the real Sora, anyway. We'll be fighting Xehanort so we can rescue him."

"I – I want to save him," she whispered. "No, I _will_ save him," she corrected, her voice growing stronger.

"That's the spirit. Come on, we have to go."

She nodded and wiped her nose. A fire had lit in her eyes. Riku didn't feel like smiling, but if anything could lift his spirits, it was Kairi's will. He'd always admired her dogged determination. No doubt it was one of the things Sora loved about her, too.

 _Sora, hang in there. We're coming._

* * *

A/N: A few comments about the development of last week's chapter. I was finishing up Dear Sora last August and was trying to figure out a way for Terra to be saved, since Aqua and Ven were insisting on it, when I got the idea for Sora handing himself over for Terra. I knew I had to write about it, but I also knew that Sora wouldn't do that unless Roxas and Xion were both saved, and by extension Naminé, too, so then I knew I wanted to write their rescues, too. And little by little this story came into being.

The Soranort theory is pretty popular with the fandom right now, which is great because I have found further inspiration from other fans. Special mention goes to didsomeonesayventus's oneshots Baptized by the Dark and Bitter Nectar, as well as chachacharlieco's art.

Kairi's experimentation isn't in the games, but it was hinted at in one of the KH novels and gettachristalready's post on tumblr about it provided the inspiration for including it in this story.

 **Just a quick warning that next week's chapter deals with dark themes and has some violent moments.** More specific content warnings will be at the top of the chapter again like for Chapter 15. If you want to avoid spoilers, please skip them. As always, thank you for reading!


	17. Chapter 17 - Rebirth

A/N: This chapter has dark themes and violent moments. If you want a more specific content warning, here it is. Please skip it if you want to avoid spoilers. Also, my author's note discussing the chapter's inspiration and development will be combined with next week's note instead.

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* * *

Chapter 17 – Rebirth

The desolate mountain that loomed before them was just as Aqua and Ven had described. Smoke floated out of its cone-shaped summit, hinting at the beast that dwelt inside. They were safely tucked away inside the forest, but as soon as they left their cover…

Naminé grabbed Roxas's hand. He squeezed back, and a warm feeling settled over her heart and steadied its racing beat.

"I'm here," he said. Just like he'd promised. Truth be told, Naminé's heart had been pounding and her throat tight ever since they'd arrived. She had her Keyblade, but that wasn't the real reason she'd come here. Everyone was counting on her to use her powers. But she wasn't sure she really wanted to. Not after what she'd been forced to do to Sora.

But… she also wanted to save him. She had to. And if that meant using her powers, then so be it.

"Naminé, can you… can you sense Sora's heart?" Kairi asked. Her face was deathly pale. Out of everyone, she'd taken the news of what had happened the worst. When Riku had brought her to the rest of them, her face had been all red and puffy, even while she insisted on coming with them.

"…Not yet. Sorry, Kairi."

She didn't have the heart to tell her that she could, in fact, feel Sora's presence. It would have been impossible not to. He was connected to every single person here, and—

"Everyone ready?" Terra asked. He, Riku, and Aqua had taken charge of planning the rescue mission. Naminé's role was to sabotage the efforts of the Seekers by strengthening the connections in their hearts, like Kairi had suggested. Roxas, Xion, and Lea had been charged with guarding her. If she fell into enemy hands again, it would all be over.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Lea muttered. He hadn't been happy to hear they'd be fighting a firebird, of all things. "Why does this always happen to me?" had been his exact words. His natural fighting style would be completely useless in this battle. At least he'd been able to give them all pointers on not getting singed. That, combined with Aqua enchanting their bodies and clothes to be fire and heat resistant, was at least something of an advantage.

"Hang in there, Sora. We're coming," Riku said. He summoned his Keyblade and charged, Kairi right at his heels. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy followed close behind, and Terra, Ven, and Aqua went on ahead of them on their gliders.

"C'mon, let's go," Lea said. He took off with Xion following closely behind him.

"Naminé?" Roxas stopped and turned to look at her.

"I… I lied." She clutched her heart. "Roxas, Sora _is_ here. I can feel his heart."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

She chewed her lip, trying to decide if she should tell him the truth. He studied her carefully, his eyes were filled with concern.

"Naminé?"

"I suppose it is, but Roxas…" She closed her eyes and tried to stop her lip from trembling. "He's hurting."

Roxas gave her a sad smile. "I know. That's why we're here. When we were lost, he saved us. Now it's our turn to do the same for him." He offered her his hand, and she took it. "Naminé, I know you're scared. But I'm here. I'll protect you, I swear."

She nodded. "I know you will." She summoned her Keyblade again. "I'll do what I can to keep you safe, too."

Together, they followed after the others. There were so many hearts here, and they were all connected to Sora. Naminé pictured them in her head. Sora was at the center of them all, link after link coming out of his heart and chaining him to each and every one of them. The thickest connection was to Kairi. In the time since Naminé had put Sora's heart back together, the link had grown even stronger.

But it wasn't the links to those near and dear to his heart Naminé sought. It was those of their enemies. Those connections were different but no less important. She carefully fussed them out and began her work.

* * *

Ven still couldn't quite believe Terra was really, truly here. He sped ahead of them on his glider, and they followed close behind. As soon as they'd gotten the news that Sora was in Xehanort's hands, he had spent every spare moment coming up with a plan for infiltrating Xehanort's lair to save Sora. Insider knowledge was one of their few advantages, and he was making sure it was put to good use.

United at last, and they couldn't even enjoy the moment. Sora was in trouble, the person who saved all of them now needing saving himself. Ven wanted to kick himself for not noticing the signs. Sora's behavior the night of the party should have been warning enough. And if not that, then Ven should have realized the source of the strange pain he'd felt in his heart earlier. It continued even now, a dull throb pounding its steady, insistent thrum inside of him.

Well, they were here now, and they were about to face down that firebird again. Aqua was grimly determined to rescue it this time. Faster, faster they climbed the mountain, till at last they had reached the summit. The throbbing in his chest had grown slightly stronger, which meant they must be getting closer.

The ground shook and smoke billowed out of the volcano's cone. The firebird emerged in a burst of flame and scoured the mountainside with its hot, lava-spewing breath. Ven went tumbling to the ground, transforming his glider back into his Keyblade and dodging the lava now seeping down the mountain. He threw his Keyblade at it. Water Raid, Blizzard Raid. The first attack didn't connect, the second did.

The firebird doubled down on him, and he barely leapt out of the way. Aqua's barrier went around him all the same. Her magic hit the firebird over and over again till she'd built up enough power for a Waterza spell. Terra summoned pillars of earth, and they pummeled the firebird just as Aqua's Waterza hit it.

The firebird was in a frenzy now. It shrieked and whirled around, its fiery feathers catching everything in its wake. Ven glanced behind him. The forest was on fire now. Orange flames licked the night sky, illuminating everything in a suffocating glow.

Kairi and Riku had finally made it. So had Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Donald didn't waste any time in casting water magic, and Goofy and Mickey shielded Kairi and Riku as they picked their way around the lava, freezing it and searching for a way inside the volcano.

The firebird turned its head towards Kairi. Ven lunged at her, catching her just in time, and she put a shield around them as they went rolling. Kairi regained her balance and helped Ven off the ground.

"Ven!"

"I'm okay! You gotta keep going!"

She nodded and took off in the direction where Riku was headed. Ven hit the firebird with more Water and Blizzard Raids and noticed Lea and Xion had arrived. He watched, amazed, as Xion transformed into a giant armor-like creature and began pummeling the firebird. He'd never seen anything like it before.

"Roxas, what are you doing?" Terra shouted. "Summon your Nobodies!"

"Roxas, she's not going to disappear!" Naminé said. "She's fighting, that's all!"

Roxas snapped out of his funk. He stopped staring at Xion long enough to do as Terra commanded, and his Nobodies began to go after the firebird, not caring when it singed them or even when they got stuck in rivers of lava. They pulled at its wings, brilliant red feathers falling off it onto the ground. Ven recognized them and gasped.

"The feathers of a phoenix!"

"Ven, not now! We can't get distracted!" Aqua shouted. Still, it would be useful to have some of them. Such a waste that he couldn't pick up any. Each one would have made a powerful potion.

The firebird blew another column of flame, and Ven had to dodge to get out of the way. He dug his hand into the rock to stop himself. Lifting his head, he saw Xion try to drive the firebird away from the entrance. But just as she managed to lure it far enough away for Kairi and Riku to slip through, it returned to its usual spot.

"Terra, Ven! Together!"

Ven's attention snapped to Aqua. She lifted her Keyblade high in the air, and Ven summoned the most powerful wind magic he could. Aqua combined it with a blast of water, and huge chunks of ground flung it high into the air as Terra joined in. The force of the attack was enough to send the firebird reeling.

A group of Nobodies jumped it, and Xion pinned it to the ground. Goofy threw his shield at it, over and over again. Mickey and Kairi combined forces to hit it with purifying light magic. The flames in its feathers were flickering. Donald doused it with another round of water, and Riku and Lea hit it with a flurry of physical attacks.

The poor creature groaned, and Ven felt sorry for it. It had never asked to be turned into a Heartless, after all. Was the only way to save it to defeat it?

"Sorry," he whispered. "We're trying to help, I promise." Against every preservation instinct, he reached out and touched the firebird's smoldering wing, wishing he could do more to comfort it.

He looked up, and his gaze connected with Naminé's. Her eyes were watering. Perhaps she could sense that the firebird was suffering, too. In her hand she held her Keyblade, but she wasn't really using it.

"Riku, Kairi, now's your chance!" Terra shouted. The firebird was stirring again, and that wasn't a good sign.

"Go! We'll be right behind you!" Aqua prepared to attack again.

Riku grabbed Kairi's hand, and Ven watched as they disappeared into the volcano.

"Donald, Goofy, Mickey, you go next!" Terra and Aqua had trapped it with the combined power of their golden chains. It struggled against them, and sweat dripped down their faces as they held it down.

"Ven!" Ven joined together with Mickey one last time to hit it with Holy magic, then Mickey, Donald, and Goofy plunged into the volcano.

"Everyone, together!" Terra called.

"Just like we practiced." Aqua lifted her Keyblade high in the air, and Ven followed suit. A new group of Roxas's Nobodies rushed past and went after the firebird. Ven stole a glance back at Roxas. Heavy bags were forming under his eyes, summoning so many Nobodies in one fight draining him.

 _Careful there, Roxas. We still have a lot of fighting up ahead._

The firebird made one last explosive stand, flames shooting out of it and covering the mountain. They doused it with a huge wall of water, and it staggered, whimpering and sighing as its body hit the rocky ground with a loud thud. Naminé ran to its side and placed her hand on its head, and Ven joined her. It wouldn't be long now.

Its eyes flickered open. Ven used what white magic he knew to try to soothe it, to purify it from the darkness that had claimed its heart. Naminé stroked its feathers and whispered comforting things.

Ven heard Aqua kneel beside him. "It's okay. You can rest now." She put her hand over the firebird's eyes, and with one final sigh, it was gone. Its heart fluttered into the dark sky. Bit by bit, its body disintegrated, leaving behind only a handful of feathers.

"I thought… I thought firebirds were supposed to be reborn when they died," Ven whispered. He had hoped that they would be able to save it, but it had disappeared, just like every other Heartless.

Terra put a hand on his shoulder. "I think it will be."

"Hey, what's that?" Lea had joined them, and he was pointing to something in the ashes. A small puff of down and fluff raised its tiny head and squawked. Ven smiled and put his hand out. It wobbled and pecked lightly at his hand, then hopped onto it.

"Naminé," he said, offering his hand. "Here, I think you should keep it for now." Her mouth opened in surprise, then a weary smile spread across her face. She took the little chick from Ven and brought it up to her cheek. It nuzzled her face, a small spark shooting out of its little tail.

Xion and Roxas were here now. Xion had transformed back into human form, red and blue armor back into skin and clothes and hair. She and Roxas supported each other, bodies worn out from the strain of the fight.

"It's a sign," Roxas said.

Xion nodded. "Yeah. Like our very own good luck charm."

This obstacle to saving Sora had been overcome. They were ready to continue on, to press forward and find him, no matter what. It was with that thought that Ven plunged into the volcano after Terra and Aqua.

* * *

Kairi held tight to Riku's hand as her stomach flip-flopped and the wind whistled past their ears. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the bottom. He released her hand and plunged into a roll to break his fall, and she slowly lowered herself to the ground with a gravity spell. He had already summoned a ball of flame to light the way by the time her feet touched the ground.

"Left, right, jump over the boulder, climb up the wall to the right, go under the crevice to the left—" Kairi recited, recalling Terra's careful instructions. According to him, this whole place was a maze, and only the people who Xehanort wanted to find it would.

Shadows and Neoshadows sank up from the ground, their yellow eyes lighting up the dark interior of the volcano. Kairi sighed, and together she and Riku attacked.

It was going to be a long, hard path to get to Sora.

But perhaps that was a good thing. If she had to focus on fighting, she had no time to think about what had happened to him. No time to think about her dream and what it might mean, no time to think about the hurt in his heart, no time to think of the darkness Xehanort must have used to choke out the light, no time to think about how much he must be suffering right now—

 _Kairi, stop._ She was emotionally compromised; unfit to really be on this mission. But no one had stopped her from coming, and she had to prove that their trust wasn't a mistake.

Why wasn't Riku affected? No, that wasn't true. He _was_ affected. There was a set to his jaw and a tired, anguished look in his eyes as he fought.

 _He's just a lot better at controlling his emotions than I am. C'mon, Kairi. Pull it together._

She wiped the sweat from her face and pictured unplugging her heart from her mind. There. She was a machine now, cold and mechanical, doing what had to be done. Thwack. Hit. Boom. Over and over again, plowing through Shadows and Neoshadows as she and Riku continued forward.

There were so many of them. Why were there so many? They were getting in the way. She had to get rid of them all.

Riku glanced her way, a disturbed expression on his face at the change in her demeanor. She didn't care. She had to save Sora, no matter what.

Shadow after Shadow after Shadow. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Get out of my way!" There was an explosion of light that came from deep within her, taking out all of their enemies except for one.

It turned to look at her, and it wasn't a Shadow anymore. It was Sora. It was the Heartless he'd become to save her. It was his heart, taken over by the darkness. She screamed and dropped her Keyblade.

"Kairi, what's wrong?" Riku put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"It's Sora! He… he—" With trembling fingers, she pointed at the Shadow.

Riku gave her a look filled with pity. "Kairi, that's not him. It's just another Heartless." He attacked it to prove his point, and its heart floated away into the air.

"But he looked at me," Kairi whispered.

"Xehanort didn't turn him into a Heartless. You know exactly what he's done to him."

She sank to her knees, the rocky ground hard beneath them. The truth was still too much to bear. "I wish he was a Heartless. Then at least I could save him."

"Kairi, snap out of it." Riku pulled her to her feet. "You _are_ going to save him. We're going to do it together."

Searching Riku's eyes, she looked for anything there she could cling to. Any shred of courage, any flicker of hope. "How?"

Riku hesitated. "I don't know. But I believe in you, Kairi. I believe in us. And you know who else believes in you?"

"Who?" Kairi asked, her voice very small. She knew the answer, but she wanted Riku to say it. Something about him saying it out loud would make it more real.

"Sora does. He believes in you most of all. He'll always come back to you, Kairi. Whatever Xehanort has done to him won't change that. It can't."

Kairi sniffed and wiped her nose. "He believes in you too, Riku. When I was worried that we'd lost you forever, he knew you'd come back to us."

"See?" Riku said, allowing himself a small smile. "He's always had faith in us. Now let's have some faith in him. He'll do whatever he can to reach us. It might not be much, considering what Xehanort's done to him, but—"

"We'll just have to meet him halfway, then. Or maybe… two thirds of the way." Kairi choked out a laugh. An inappropriate reaction, considering the circumstances, but stress had a funny effect on the mind and heart.

"Or three quarters of the way."

"Or nine tenths."

If they could joke at a time like this, then maybe, just maybe, there was still hope. This area was clear of Heartless now. It was time to move on. Every step took them that much closer to Sora, and that was what Kairi clung to as she fought.

But as time went on, as they fought enemy after enemy after enemy, she began to wonder. Where was Sora? Had they made a mistake? Was he really not here? Had all of this been an elaborate ruse designed to draw them in and trap them?

She paused to catch her breath. She couldn't let herself run out of energy when they hadn't even run into any human enemies yet.

"Kairi, wait up." Riku caught up to her, and it was clear the strain of the day's battles was wearing on him, too. His face was pale, and sweat dotted his upper lip and brow. He slashed away at a Heartless that appeared, then turned to face her. "They just won't stop coming! We won't find him in time at this rate."

"Don't say that! He's here, he has to be!" Even as Kairi said the words, she wondered who she was trying to convince. She had no idea how the others were faring, split up as they all had been. Maybe this really was as much of a suicide mission as Sora had warned them it would be.

She and Riku continued on through another maze of corridors. A flash of black caught her eye. But when she turned to look, it was gone, as if she had imagined the whole thing. In the next room, she thought she saw a glint of silver. But again, nothing. The slightest noise, and she glanced in the direction it had come from. No one was there.

 _Am I going crazy? First I think some random Heartless is Sora, and now—_

They reached a grand hall, and she put a hand on Riku's arm to stop him. The ground beneath them was smooth black marble, and rows of ornate pillars lined the hall on each side. A strange orange glow emanated off everything, almost as if they were inside the magma of the volcano itself.

"You can sense it too, huh?" Riku said. They both had their Keyblades out, ready for whatever surprise might lie in store.

Or so they thought. A figure cloaked in black hopped down from up high to the ground in front of them. It landed with an easy grace, one leg bent, the other outstretched with one hand placed between the two to steady itself. It lifted its head, the black hood falling down to reveal its face.

Kairi placed a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. She'd known this was what awaited her, but even that knowledge hadn't prepared her for the shock of seeing Sora like this.

His warm brown hair had turned icy silver. It felt wrong to see his spikes that shade, like someone had leached all of the color out of them and thrown it away. His beautiful blue eyes were a sickly gold now, and that wasn't even the worst of it. They were bloodshot and puffy with dark circles underneath. The black coat covered most of his body, but it couldn't hide the cuts and bruises on his neck and face.

A vague memory flitted into her mind, of someone else with silver hair and yellow eyes, and she forced down the gnawing unease that came with it.

Her grip on her Keyblade tightened. "Sora?" She took a step towards him, her footsteps echoing across the vast hall, and he straightened and gave her a dead-eyed look.

Riku grabbed her arm. "Kairi, don't." His knuckles were white, his mouth pressed together in a tight line and his eyes filled with sorrow. The three of them just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

"You know," Sora finally said, "he didn't want you to come for him. He didn't want you to see him like this. He knew how much it would hurt you, and he was right."

His voice was wrong. Not just because it was scratchy and hoarse. It was lower, influenced by the voice of the heart that didn't belong inside him. He clutched his chest and staggered forward.

Riku reached out a hand to steady him. "Sora, if you can hear us—"

Sora flung Riku away with an unnatural strength. Riku went tumbling backwards, just barely managing to land on his feet. He moved his Keyblade into a battle stance, and Kairi did the same. Sora smiled, a horrible, twisted grin that bared his teeth.

"You should have listened to him. And you," he pointed at Kairi, "you have no business here. Part of our agreement was that I wouldn't lay a hand on you." He opened a portal for her. "You are free to leave this place. Now go."

Kairi didn't move. "I won't. I won't leave until Sora's free!"

"Foolish girl, you know nothing. When I made Terra my vessel, Aqua came looking for him. Do you really think you will succeed where she failed? If Terra cannot escape me after over a decade of my control, do you really believe you can take Sora away from me?"

"Yeah, I do," Riku said, his voice growing more confident with each word. "We've saved him before. When he needed us, we were always there for him. And do you know why?"

Sora raised an eyebrow.

"Because he'd do the same for us."

That was right. Riku's rousing speech reminded her that she was fighting for Sora, not against him. She had to remember that.

"It's true!" she said. "Sora loves us. I don't care what it takes. We will save him!"

Sora laughed, a horrible, empty sound. It was a mockery of Sora's natural laughter, and Kairi hated it.

"If you refuse to leave, then I'll have no choice but to fight you," he warned.

"If I have to fight you to save him, then I will!"

"Bring it on!" Riku added. "I feel like punching Sora anyway, after the stunt he just pulled."

"Well, if you insist. Tell me, what do you think he'll say once he realizes what I've made him do to you?"

He summoned Xehanort's Keyblade, blue eye in the hilt and all, and charged.

Kairi had always marveled at how graceful Sora's movements were when he fought. It was like watching a deadly, elegant dance, the way he spun and jumped and flipped and twirled around.

Of course those attacks had never been directed at her before, but now that they were, she realized just how difficult of an opponent he was. He was impossibly fast. Getting a hit in on him was a challenge. And he hit hard, his natural strength amplified by whatever Xehanort had done to him. His magic was powerful, too. Kairi almost felt sorry for all of his previous opponents, now that she was in their shoes. Almost.

She attacked, he blocked. She used white magic, he canceled it out with dark magic. She put up a barrier, he waited till it was down to close in on her. He matched her every movement, and Riku was even worse off. They'd been fighting together, both on the same side and as opponents, for years now. Deflecting Riku's attacks was practically second nature for him.

"Riku! We have to change up our fighting styles!" Kairi said at last, seeing this was getting them nowhere. She could try using more powerful white magic, but after her fight with Vanitas and especially after her dream about Sora, she was afraid to risk it. The odds of hurting him were too high.

"Easier said than done." But Riku switched to a more defensive moveset, and she went on the offensive to make up for it. After fighting beside Sora, she could predict some of his current movements. They were a combination of Sora's fighting style and what she assumed to be Xehanort's, so maybe, if she paid close attention—

Riku successfully guarded one of Sora's attacks, and he stumbled backwards. Kairi knew this was her chance. Instead of her preferred magic, she darted in and landed a powerful blow. He fell backwards, landing on his back and sliding across the marble floor. Riku closed in and hit him with attack after attack, a grim expression on his face.

Sora cried out at the onslaught, and he didn't sound like Xehanort. He sounded like himself. Riku was holding back, trying to subdue him with as little injury as possible, but all Kairi could think of in that moment was that he was hurting Sora and she couldn't bear the thought.

"Riku, stop!" she cried. "This isn't working!"

 _Riku and I… we're at a disadvantage._ Even with their superior numbers, Sora had the upper hand. Empathy and compassion were doing them no favors.

Sora took Riku's momentary distraction to send orbs of darkness hurtling towards her. She ducked behind one of the pillars just in time. The darkness ate into it, and she looked, horrified, from the ruined pillar, mottled as it was with holes, to Sora. He had a blank expression on his face, which was a lot more unsettling than a show of emotion would have been.

 _That attack was meant for me. That could have been my face, scarred and filled with holes like that pillar._

 _If he's trying to hurt me so casually, then he really has lost himself._

She shook her head. _No, I can't think like that. We're here to bring him back to us._

"Kairi, change of plan," Riku said, putting up a Dark Barrier to protect her. "Let's try reaching his heart."

"Right." Fighting him wasn't getting them anywhere, so getting his heart involved, whatever state it might be in, really was their best bet.

"Sora, we don't blame you for this," she said. "If you can hear me, I just want you to know that. We know you never wanted to hurt us."

Sora shot a blast of dark magic at her, which deflected off the barrier. "He can't hear you. It's pointless to even try."

"Yeah, but it was pretty stupid, running off on your own like that," Riku said. "You got upset with me for trying to do everything on my own, and then you went and did the exact same thing. Hypocrite much?"

Sora charged, an attack Riku easily parried. He counterattacked and got a few hits in before retreating.

"Sora," Kairi said, "when we get you back, I'm going to—"

Sora had her.

"Kairi!" Riku shouted. Sora sent a large barrier crashing towards him, knocking him off his feet and into one of the pillars. Then Sora leaned in to whisper in Kairi's ear. She tensed, reminded of all the other times he'd been this close. This was a twisted mockery of that, and she hated it. She longed for him, for his real self.

But it was still his body beside her now, even though it was warped by Xehanort's heart. Her mind could scream at her all it wanted, but there was no denying what her heart and body knew. Xehanort wouldn't be standing this close to her. Some part of Sora, deep down, was reaching out to her. She had to do something. She had to find him.

"You're going to what?" he said. "Don't you see now, this heart belongs to the darkness!"

He had a crazy glint in his eye, taking gleeful delight in this fact. His face was only inches away from hers, and she had an equally crazy idea. She knew it probably wouldn't work. In fact, it was more likely to get her killed. But until their backup arrived, she didn't know what else to do. He was right here, so why not try? He wasn't expecting it, so if nothing else, at least it would buy them some time.

"Sora, come back to us," she whispered, then caressed his face and pulled it down to hers. He froze, his breath hitching as their lips met at long last. His were dry and cracked. He had to be dying of thirst. And there was a slight metallic scent lingering on his mouth, too. Blood. Who had made him bleed? Without thinking, she ran the tip of her tongue across his lower lip, some urge to comfort and soothe and sate his parched mouth taking over and overriding everything else.

A strangled noise sounded from his throat. She opened her eyes, and his were wide, big as saucers. Reason set in, demanding what had gotten into her, screaming at her to get back, to get away before he retaliated, and she released him. He staggered backwards and stared at her, his Keyblade clattering to the ground.

Riku struggled to his feet and looked between the two of them. His mouth was hanging open, equally impressed and horrified that she had tried such a thing. Well, this wasn't what he'd meant, exactly, when he'd said she should try kissing Sora herself.

Sora's hand flew to his lips, ghosting over them as if he could feel the lingering imprint of her on him. His chest heaved and his breath came out in loud, panting gasps.

Her heart was pounding, her nerves pulled taut. _Did that actually work!?_

He blinked, and she thought she saw a flicker of blue in his eyes. A sigh escaped her lips as the tension left her body.

Then he laughed, that same awful mocking sound from before. It started deep in his belly till the sound filled the hall and bounced off the walls. He wiped his mouth on his hand, his face ghastly in the orange light.

"Did you actually think that would work?"

No, but Kairi couldn't help it when tears pricked her eyes. Maybe… maybe her bond with Sora really wasn't strong or deep enough to save him. Maybe there was no bringing him back, not without another sacrifice. Terra hadn't broken free until Sora had switched places with him, after all.

"Not even the kiss of a Princess of Heart is enough to take him away from me," Sora continued. "You foolish girl, I told you: this heart belongs to the darkness!"

Kairi put her hand over her heart. "Then take me instead. You need me to create the χ-blade, right? I'll hand myself over, just let him go!"

Her offer distracted him. Riku got him, and hard. He slumped to the ground, and Riku pinned him down with his Keyblade.

"Kairi," Riku said, "don't listen to him! That kiss did something. Didn't you see his eyes? We have to keep trying. I know Sora's still in there, deep down. You don't have to hand yourself over to Xehanort to save him." He turned to Sora. "And you. Is that any way to treat Kairi? I told you to take care of her. Pull it together, idiot, and fight back! Don't let this monster use you to hurt her any more than you already have!"

Sora snarled and lashed out, striking Riku full in the chest with his Keyblade. Riku screamed and crumpled to the ground.

"Riku!" Kairi raced to his side, then shielded his body with her own as she whirled around to face Sora.

Fear was something she had never felt around him before. He was her sanctuary, her shelter from the cruelty that had followed her her entire life. But as she looked up into his eyes, the simple fact of the matter stared her in the face.

She was afraid. Whatever Xehanort had done to him had changed him so drastically that she hesitated to even call the person before her Sora anymore. And yet, his heart had to be in there somewhere. Some part of him had to be aware of what was happening.

Then why hadn't he stopped Xehanort from hurting Riku? Was he really lost to them for good?

No. She refused to believe that. His heart was still in there. It had to be.

"Sora, I know this isn't you."

And that was the key to everything. Fighting him wasn't the way to save him. But there was another way. And if the Sora she knew and loved was still inside of the person before her, it was the only way she could win.

Too bad the cost might very well be her life. But if it meant saving his, it was worth it. It was with this thought that she stared him down. No, stared Xehanort down. She was sick of being used against Sora. The pawn was about to take back control and make Xehanort regret ever treating people like pieces in his sick game.

"Make him hurt me," she taunted. "See how long your control lasts over him then."

She didn't flinch when he lunged at her. She didn't stop him from wrapping his fingers around her neck and hoisting her into the air. But then her survival instincts kicked in, and she struggled against him. It was pointless, of course. Even before his transformation, she was no match for his strength. Her hands went over his, trying to loosen his grip as it constricted around her throat.

"Sora, please…" she choked out. She stared into his golden eyes, appealing to the heart she knew must still be in there somewhere. The room swam around her, and black spots speckled her vision. Air. She needed air. Her hands went limp. With the last of her strength, she brought one of them to his face.

Wet. His face was wet. Why was it… wet…


	18. Chapter 18 - Heartbroken

Chapter 18 – Heartbroken

Memories of lazy summer days spent sneaking around the castle. Naminé focused not just on the memories but the feelings that came with them. Warmth. Friendship. Trust.

 _There. Strengthen the chains connecting Isa's heart to Lea's. Strengthen their bond. Make it stronger than Isa's connection to Xehanort._

 _He's wavering. He wants to be with his friend again. He wants to—_

Naminé paused. What was that sound echoing throughout the hall? For a moment, she thought it was coming from Roxas. But no, it was Ven.

Ven was screaming.

Roxas and Xion clutched their chests. Roxas let out an awful strangled sound, and Xion's eyes were wide.

"Riku…" she whispered.

Lea whirled on her. "Riku? What's wrong with Riku? Xion, what's going on?"

She couldn't make any answer, and he had to dodge out of the way of one of Luxord's cards. It whistled past Xion's ear, but she stayed rooted to the spot.

Aqua ignored Vexen's barrage of ice and put her hand on Ven's arm. "Ven talk to me, what's wrong?"

"Sora—"

Naminé hardly noticed her Keyblade slip from her grasp and fall to the floor. There was more screaming that sounded like it was coming from her, but she couldn't be sure.

Everything around her was blooming red, leaking everywhere and covering everything and everyone. She staggered backwards, and there was a loud metallic crunch. Broken chains. Her eyes followed the sickening trail to their source.

Someone had ripped them out. Ripped them out and torn the soft tissue around it and left it to bleed and die.

"What did you do to him?!" she shrieked. Aqua took one look at her and panicked, doubling down on Ven.

"Sora? What's wrong with Sora? Ven, please, tell me what's wrong!"

Ven didn't answer Aqua's question. He screamed again, and this time his screams sounded like he was saying a name.

Kairi's name.

Naminé's heart froze. She looked at Xehanort, standing on the stairs above them near an ornate black throne. He was smiling. How could he _smile_? How could he be happy about whatever it was he'd just done?

This was worse than anything she had ever seen. The memories surrounding the event – she was afraid to even look at them. But they crashed into her all the same, and a choked cry escaped her lips. She put her hand over her mouth in horror.

She didn't understand. How could anyone be so cruel. How. The planning, the scheming involved, carefully and willfully designed to do maximum damage to the victim, to cause ultimate suffering to someone so good and gentle and caring. To someone who had shown her nothing but kindness and understanding and empathy.

And that throne – she knew it now. She knew what it was, what it meant, what those torn pieces of material lying on the ground near it had been used for.

Oh, she was going to make Xehanort pay. She was going to make all of them pay. Before, she'd never wanted to take anyone else apart. It was wrong to do that. It was wrong to use her powers that way.

But some people, some people just _deserved_ it.

She lifted her Keyblade in the air. She'd never tried to target this many people at once. But she was done. Done with holding back. Xehanort was about to regret ever hurting Sora. Xehanort was about to regret what he'd made Sora do. Xehanort was about to regret what had happened to Kairi and Riku.

She would show him no mercy. And that went for all his allies that had the misfortune of being here, too.

* * *

Deep inside Sora's heart, Xehanort smiled. "We've done it, my boy! We've won. Even together they're no match for us."

Not even a Princess of Heart and a Keyblade master fighting together could stop him. Or Sora, for that matter. Choking Kairi had been risky, but he'd needed to reassert his control over Sora and neutralize the threat she'd posed.

All because of one simple kiss. It annoyed Xehanort greatly, to think that all of his hard work had very nearly been undone by that silly girl. For the boy had come dangerously close to regaining control of himself. His animal desire to take her in his arms and make her his was more powerful than Xehanort had expected, but then again, Xehanort had no interest in such matters unless they could be used to further his plans.

He would not make the same mistake again. Kairi may have had the advantage before, but he'd taken the necessary steps to convince her that her wiles had no effect on Sora, even while the boy had fought with everything he had left for the chance to drool all over her.

Leave it to the meddlesome Riku to try to undo Xehanort's attempts at damage control, though. Oh well. The matter had been taken care of, and he now had such complete control over Sora that he could make him do things he normally never would.

He put his hand on Sora's shoulder. "You may not have been chosen by the Keyblade, but I can see now that that doesn't matter. You are truly special."

His host wasn't in nearly such a celebratory mood. He wrenched himself away from Xehanort's grip, a look of utter horror in his eyes.

"Come now, is that the way to act in our moment of triumph?" Xehanort asked. "You are reaching your full potential. You should celebrate your success."

Sora ignored him. He clutched his head and screamed, his anguished cries reaching far beyond their current location. There was nothing quite like the noise a heart made when it broke. It also ensured further resistance was unlikely.

"You can see the damage, can't you?" Xehanort paused a moment to look through the eyes of his vessel's body. Kairi and Riku's limp forms were lying nearby, and Sora had collapsed to the ground. He even reached a hand towards Kairi before Xehanort commanded the disobedient arm to return to where it belonged.

The boy's protective instincts really would be quite useful if Xehanort could ever manage to turn Sora's loyalty his way.

"Don't worry, you didn't kill them," Xehanort said. "There may be extra players in the game, but your friends are truly irreplaceable. Wouldn't you agree?"

Xehanort knew better than to actually let Sora kill them, of course. Kairi in particular was far too important to die. But Sora was acting as if he had, in fact, killed them, and his reaction was so over the top it was almost comical.

"That wasn't me!" he cried. "I'd never— _You did this to them!_ "

What was this? Resistance? Xehanort turned back to face the boy's heart, and sure enough, he had his Keyblade pointed right at Xehanort's. His hand trembled and his eyes were filled with tears, but he didn't back down. Xehanort sighed. This was all so unnecessary.

"I may have been the one directing everything, but it was you who struck Riku, and it was your fingers wrapped around Kairi's neck. She looked into your eyes and saw your face as you choked the life from her. And after she kissed you, too, the poor girl. Memories like that make quite an impression on the heart. Do you think she'll forgive you for what you've done?"

Sora's hands were shaking so badly that he nearly dropped his Keyblade. "It wasn't me! I—"

"Ah, but none of this ever would have happened if you hadn't made your deal with me. Face it, Sora, you are as much to blame for their injuries as I am."

"No… " Sora whispered. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. The tears streamed freely down his face now. Good. Xehanort had already broken him once, and now he was very close to breaking him for good. That meant their union could be made complete. A broken vessel provided no resistance, making it easy for Xehanort to mold and use as he pleased.

"You broke our deal." Sora's voice was so low Xehanort had to strain to hear it.

"Hmmm?"

"I said," Sora continued, his voice slightly louder, "you broke our deal."

"I did no such thing," Xehanort replied. "Your friends came to this fortress and attacked my Seekers. We simply defended ourselves from you."

Sora's voice grew stronger. "Wrong. The terms were, 'Stop attacking my friends. Leave them alone.' That applied to you and you alone. And you used my body to attack Riku before he attacked you. He and Kairi wouldn't have fought me if you hadn't! And now… oh no… what have I done!? What did you make me do!?"

Sora was hit by a fresh wave of tears. It was pathetic, really, how when his friends were in danger, he became completely undone. He was quite easy to manipulate.

"Technicalities, my boy, technicalities."

Sora's Keyblade was now inches from his face. "Shut up! Did you forget about the part where Kairi wouldn't get hurt? You forced me to— _you forced me to choke her!_ After everything you showed me, after everything you did to her as a child, how could you make me do something so horrible? It wasn't enough to take her out of the fight. No. Not when she had defied you, and all – all for my sake."

Sora had to pause for a moment because his voice was choking up too much for him to continue.

 _Such a sentimental fool. Can't he see that his heart is his greatest weakness?_

"You didn't like that," Sora finally said, "so you just had to make her suffer. No, you _wanted_ to make her suffer! You broke our deal and you know it!"

"I offered her the chance to leave, and she refused. What else was I supposed to do when she attacked you?"

Sora just glared at him, and Xehanort shifted uncomfortably. He really hadn't intended for the girl to get hurt, at least not at first. That had simply been the easiest way to control Sora and reduce the threat she posed at the same time.

But there was no use explaining that to Sora. There was a fire blazing in his eyes now. Xehanort sighed. Why did they always have to make this so difficult? Terra had been the same way. It all would be so much easier if they would just submit.

"Ah, there it is. You just don't know when to submit, do you?" Xehanort said. "You want to fight me, even though together we've become more powerful than you could ever be on your own. You'd throw away your own heart, but heaven forbid anything happens to your precious friends!"

"You won't use me to hurt them anymore!" Sora shouted.

Xehanort summoned his Keyblade. If it was a fight Sora wanted, a fight he would get. "I don't think that's for you to decide anymore. Your heart belongs to the darkness now."

"No. I know my heart is shrouded in darkness right now, but the light is deeper still. It doesn't matter what you do to me. That light will never go out." Sora moved into a battle stance and charged. _"Get out of my heart!_ "

* * *

Chain after chain after chain. There were so many chains and Naminé snapped them, one after the other. The metallic clink of each one breaking was like music to her ears.

Her enemies collapsed to the ground and writhed at her feet. Good. That was where they should be. That was what they deserved.

She looked at Xehanort. His smile was gone, and he was struggling to remain standing.

Even better.

She was vaguely aware of Terra's voice shouting instructions to the others. "Mickey, Donald, Goofy, _go! Go find them!_ "

They took off, but Naminé didn't pay them any attention. The people at her feet were shrieking now as the chains in their hearts came undone one by one.

It wouldn't be long now, before she was through. Before they were through. They didn't stand a chance against her. The mere thought was immensely satisfying. No one would ever have the power to hurt her or her friends ever again. Not after this.

She thought of Sora's beautiful smile. She wouldn't let anyone else hurt him. No one would tear up his heart and gloat about it ever again. And Kairi, always targeted, always sought after and chased, their enemies wanting to use her for their own dark purposes. No one would ever be able to capture her or hurt her or imprison her or torture her or—

"Naminé, that's enough!" Aqua's voice was faded and far away, as if it had to travel through a great fog to reach her.

Terra's face briefly floated into view. "Naminé, don't do it! Don't give into the darkness!"

"Naminé, cut it out! You're hurting Isa too!" She had never heard Lea so angry before, but it didn't matter. Isa was a part of Xehanort. Isa hadn't lifted a finger to help when Xehanort had tortured Sora right in front of him. Isa _deserved_ it. If Lea tried to get in her way, she would stop him, too.

"Stop it! You're killing them!" came Ven's panicked voice. He was on the ground next to Vanitas. It didn't matter that Vanitas's face was contorted in pain. No, that made it even better. He had enjoyed shattering Sora's heart before, and now he was getting what he deserved.

"Naminé, you have to stop! Please! You're hurting yourself!" Oh. Xion was right. Her body was covered in sweat and she was shivering and it was cold and she felt lightheaded and sick. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't stop until she was through. She couldn't.

"Naminé, this isn't what Sora would want."

Naminé froze. Roxas's hand was on her arm, and he was looking at her not with anger or fear but with disappointment. For a moment she didn't see his face. She saw Sora's instead.

He didn't want her to do this. She looked at the people scattered on the floor around her, clutching their heads and groaning. Luxord and Vexen. Isa and Vanitas and the Riku Replica, too, the very people she was supposed to try to help.

She'd hurt them. She'd done this. She was the source of their pain and suffering. How was what she had just done any different than how Xehanort always behaved?

She looked at her hands. Terra had tried to warn her, and he was right. Darkness was oozing out of them.

She looked at Xehanort. He was smiling again.

 _What have I done? What have I become?_

Roxas was right. Sora didn't want this for her. She didn't want this, either.

She dropped her Keyblade, and the tears started to come. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I never wanted to— I didn't mean to—"

Roxas put his arms around her, and she buried her face in his shoulder and cried. "I just… he was hurting, and I—"

Roxas's grip tightened around her. "I know."

She didn't know how much time passed as Roxas held her. But then Xehanort's voice broke through and the moment was over.

"Foolish girl," he said, and Naminé let go of Roxas to face him. Somehow he had managed to regain his composure.

"You have the power to undo every single person in this room," he continued, gesturing to his Seekers sprawled out on the ground around Naminé, "and yet you hold yourself back."

"Is that all you think my powers are good for?" She wiped her eyes and lifted her Keyblade in the air again and thought of Riku, thought of all the things he'd taught her, of all the things he'd spent so much time practicing with her. She thought of Kairi's words, about how she'd encouraged her to use her powers for good instead of evil. She thought of Sora, bringing life and healing wherever he went.

That was what she wanted to do, too. She wanted to live up to their example.

"Terra, Aqua, Ven. Go find them. We can handle this." She whirled towards Xehanort, knowing Roxas and Xion and Lea were there to back her up. "You're about to see just what I can do."

* * *

Kairi's bleary eyes blinked open. She groaned and rubbed her neck. Her breath came in raspy gasps, and she wondered if it was possible for windpipes to bruise. But at least she was still alive. When she groggily examined her surroundings, the cold marble floor was there beneath her.

 _How… how long was I out for?_ She healed herself enough to repair the worst of the damage to her windpipe and neck. There. That was better. The magic soothed the aching in her throat, and she staggered to her feet.

"Riku!" He was lying on the floor nearby, absolutely still. The orange glow from the magma cast his skin in an unearthly light, and his face was pale and his lips were blue. She ran to his side and collapsed next to him. Pressing two fingers against his icy neck, she searched for his pulse.

It was there, but it was weak. His breathing was shallow, too, each breath coming at longer and longer intervals.

She tried healing him. It didn't work. Dread clutched her heart in a vice grip and squeezed.

"Riku, no, oh no oh no oh no, don't you dare die on me!"

 _Think, Kairi, think!_ She rifled through her pouch. Potion, useless. Ether, useless. Elixir, maybe? She tried it, but nothing happened. Back to the pouch as her panic grew. She stopped. There. Her hand closed around the little flask filled with the swirling red liquid inside that Merlin had given her. The potion made from a firebird's feathers.

" _Save it for a time of great need."_

Well, if this wasn't a time of great need, she didn't know what was. She lifted Riku's head into her lap. Then she uncorked the flask and brought it to his lips with one hand and forced his mouth open with the other. The red liquid poured down his throat. She watched his face and waited, praying Merlin's gift would work.

"Riku, please wake up. I can't—I can't lose you too."

She huddled over him and fought back the tears. She'd already lost Sora. If something happened to Riku too, she really might—

He groaned.

"Riku!"

The color returned to his cheeks. He coughed and sputtered, his eyes fluttering open.

"Kairi, what happened?" His voice was strained, and she healed him again, just to be safe.

"Um, don't take this the wrong way, but I… I wasn't sure you were going to pull through." She winced, waiting for his reaction, and he frowned, an understated response considering their current circumstances.

"You mean I… I almost died?"

"Well, your pulse was weak, and your breathing was irregular..."

"That… does sound pretty bad. I don't remember anything after Sora got me. It all went black." He sat up, his gaze flickering to her neck. "He got you too, huh?"

Kairi's hand flew to her throat, and sure enough, the skin there was still tender to the touch.

"How bad does it look?" she whispered. Her rush healing job earlier must not have taken care of everything.

Riku's mouth pulled into a tight line. "Pretty bad." He held his hand out and made a grasping motion with it.

Kairi got the message loud and clear, and so did someone else. Sora was slumped on the ground nearby, and his strangled cry sent chills down her spine. His breath came in shuddering gasps, his hands shaking as he buried his face in them. He was crying, his whole body wracked with sobs. Her own heart broke at how completely he'd been broken.

"Sora…"

He took one look at her throat and gagged, spit and snot mixing together and leaving his body as if that could remove the impurity tainting his heart.

 _It worked. He's fighting back, even if it's only his body that can reject Xehanort right now._

 _He's… he's doing it for us._

She had been right. Her gamble had paid off. Attacking Riku had been the first step, and hurting her went against his nature on such a fundamental level that it was breaking Xehanort's control over him completely.

But oh, how she wished there had been another way. She wondered for a terrible moment if she was just as cruel as Xehanort. Because now Sora would have to live with the fact that he had hurt her, that he hadn't been able to stop Xehanort from hurting her, for the rest of his life. All because she'd chosen not to defend herself in an attempt to force Xehanort's hand.

She'd won, but at what cost? It didn't matter that she knew Sora wouldn't ever choose to hurt her. That fact is what she'd gambled both of their lives on, even. But she couldn't shake the terrible feeling that this would haunt him for as long as he lived.

"Riku, we need to get inside his heart," she said grimly.

"Yeah, but what do we do about our bodies?"

Good point. They had to save Sora, but they also couldn't just leave themselves vulnerable to attack.

She scooted over and tried to touch him, but he flinched away from her as if she'd burned him.

He was hyperventilating, and his face contorted as spasm after spasm coursed through his body. His eyes were going haywire, flashing yellow and blue and everything in between. He hacked and coughed, heaving over and over again as his body revolted against what it had been forced to do.

Kairi looked to Riku. "We can't just leave him like this." She bit her lip to keep from crying, and he gave her a similarly pained look. She was about to try using white magic on Sora when a familiar voice greeted them.

"Need a hand, fellas?"

"Mickey!" Riku cried. A smile lit up his face, the first in what felt like ages. Help had finally arrived. Kairi breathed a sigh of relief. They had a chance of saving Sora now. No, they would save him.

"Thank goodness," she whispered.

"Naminé's powers are really somethin'," Mickey said. "The others are all helpin' her, too, but gosh, her memory manipulation is in a league of its own." He frowned, and Kairi briefly wondered just what exactly Naminé had been doing.

Donald and Goofy took one look at Sora and raced over to him. Their heartbroken reactions to his current state nearly pushed Kairi over the edge again, too, and all thoughts of Naminé fled her mind.

"There now, it'll be okay. You just cry as much as you need to, Sora." Goofy patted his head and swallowed. Donald had latched onto Sora's arm, warbling a nearly incomprehensible string of sounds combined with Sora's name, over and over again.

Sora hardly seemed to notice. He raked his fingers through his silver hair, his flashing eyes and labored breathing indicating he was still fighting against Xehanort's control.

Riku grabbed her hand and took a deep breath.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

They knelt next to Sora. When they put their hands on his shoulders, he screamed and thrashed. Donald and Goofy could only try to comfort him as Riku and Kairi dove into his heart.

Black smoke enveloped them as soon as they started their dive, and it was so thick Kairi could hardly see. She held tight to Riku's hand and trusted him to guide them where they needed to go. The further they went, the thicker the darkness became, and the worse she felt.

Riku noticed, too. "No wonder you were having so much trouble fighting back," he said softly. "Sorry for chewing you out. I didn't realize how bad it was."

At last their feet landed on solid ground. The darkness here was so thick that it was choking the life out of her, out of them both. She could only imagine how Sora felt. Summoning her Keyblade, she channeled as much light from her own heart into it as she could, illuminating the area around them and keeping the darkness at bay.

Riku had to let go of her hand so that he could summon his own Keyblade. He stayed close beside her as they continued forward, drawing ever closer to the source of the darkness. Each step that they took sent ripples of light and color up ahead of them. Kairi clutched Riku's arm, because the alternative was to break down crying as she realized what it meant.

Riku had noticed, too. "His heart knows we're here," he said. A memory floated by, twisted and warped by the darkness. He caught it and examined it, then grabbed another one. The glow of green light emanated from his hands and restored the two memories to their rightful state.

"We're coming, Sora." Kairi bent down and placed her hands on the ground, moving them back and forth in a gentle caress. The whole area pushed back the darkness and lit up in response, and she choked back tears. This was how it should be. Sora's heart belonged with his friends, those who would cherish it for the treasure that it was. Not the monster who had made it like this.

Still, she took a small amount of satisfaction in knowing that Xehanort had no hold over it in its natural state. He'd had to so fill it with darkness that it nearly choked out everything else before his possession could take hold. So much for all his pomp and posturing.

She shifted her weight to stand again, but Riku stopped her. "Keep doing that. If you can get rid of Xehanort's darkness, I think that'll help him fight the possession himself."

She looked around them. There should be more light here, but Sora's heart wasn't like hers. It wasn't all light.

"Riku, I can't do this alone," she said. "His heart has light and darkness in it. He needs both. He needs you as much as he needs me."

"Right."

Kairi provided the light, and Riku the darkness. Kairi was repairing one of the pathways between two of Sora's Heart Stations when a Darkside dove at her. She put up her Keyblade to parry its attack, but before its arm swiped at her, dark coils snaked around her feet and yanked her down, down, down into the darkness.

Riku stood on top of one of the platforms, putting the dark parts of it back to their rightful places. Another Darkside swung at him, and something beneath his feet launched him into the air. He somersaulted and launched off of its face, then landed on a pool of inky blackness and sunk into it.

Ever deeper they continued, going further and further through each layer of Sora's heart. They removed Xehanort's darkness like doctors treating an infection, replacing it with the light and darkness from their own hearts. As they went along, Kairi realized that Xehanort's darkness must cut to the very core of Sora's being. There was no other explanation for why they were going so deep.

At long last, they made it to the deepest layer of Sora's heart.

"Hang in there, Sora! We're coming!"

* * *

Never had Naminé tried to put anyone back together so quickly. But she had to succeed. It was her fault the three people most likely to turn sides now had far less of a reason to do so.

She had to fix what she'd done. She had to make it right.

More of the Seekers came. Ansem and Xemnas and Xigbar. Seekers that were in full fighting condition.

They were badly outnumbered. Roxas surrounded her with his Samurai Nobodies. He was determined not to let them get through. Xion's armored form was good for knocking them back, as were Lea's flames, but they could only hold out for so long all the same.

 _Kairi, Riku, hurry. Hurry and help him, before it's too late._

* * *

 _Tired. Sick. Wrong. I never wanted to hurt them. Cold. Thirsty. Why did I hurt them? This feeling in my chest. It's like my heart's frozen. The darkness has gotten to me, too. I feel sick. Have to get it out. Have to get the sickness out. What's wrong with my body?_

As Sora's battle for control of his heart waged on, disjointed thoughts floated through his mind.

 _Too strong. Xehanort's too strong. On my own, I can't beat him. Can't win. No. I have to try. Guard, counterattack. There. Kairi. Riku. I never wanted to hurt you. My magic's weak. Something's choking it out. Something's choking out the light. Something's choking me. No. I'm the one choking Kairi. It's my hand around her throat. She's kicking. Saying my name. The light in her eyes is going out. The light of my life. I'm crying. If she dies, I'll die. The worlds will fall to darkness. What have I done._

 _What have I done._

 _What have I done!?_

No. That had already happened. Kairi was alive. He had to fight. He needed something to hold onto, to help him regain control. What was strong enough to do that?

Kairi's kiss. That simple act of courage and selflessness was the one good thing about all of this. She was like the princess in one of her grandmother's stories, the magic from her kiss calling out to his heart and giving him the strength he needed to fight back. Xehanort's control had slipped, and he'd finally broken through.

He'd been this close to kissing her back. This close to showing her how much she meant to him. This close to breaking Xehanort's control for good. But then Xehanort had doubled down with a vengeance that had left Sora reeling. In his rage he'd lashed out at Xehanort, and—

 _I attacked Riku. I hurt him. Oh, no, Riku – I'm sorry, I never wanted to…_

Something deep within him stirred. The icy grip on his heart loosened, melted away by the warmth of the two other hearts within him.

They were here. Even after what he did. Even after he hurt them. They were still coming for him. The love he felt in that moment surpassed the darkness choking out the light, and he fought back with all his strength.

* * *

Sora was locked in combat with Xehanort when they found him. Kairi nearly cried in relief at the blue of his eyes, the brown of his hair. At least his heart still looked like him, even if his body no longer did.

"Sora!"

"Riku! Kairi! You're really here!" His voice was his own, the way he said their names so wonderfully like him. Light burst forth from within him, looping around the two of them and wrapping them in its warm embrace as it brought them to him. Then a fine thread came out of the light and linked their hearts together. The links surged with golden swirls of light, growing stronger and thicker by the moment.

Xehanort raised his eyebrow. "I see your true power is awakening."

"You already knew that. You tried to corrupt it and take it for yourself. But that's over now."

That was their cue. They all turned on Xehanort. Darkness shot out of Riku's Keyblade and merged with the light coming from Kairi's. Sora absorbed the energy and amplified it. He pointed his Keyblade at Xehanort, and all that energy was directed at him in one huge blast of light and dark, combined in perfect harmony.

Xehanort staggered to the ground as Sora's Heart Station reformed before their very eyes. Sora was in the middle, and Kairi and Riku flanked him on either side. Sora's other friends surrounded him, both the friends he'd given everything to save and the friends who had supported him throughout his journeys.

Xehanort shook his head and laughed. His heart's presence was fragmenting, swirls of dark smoke lifting off him and disappearing into the air. "Foolish boy, do you really think you've won?"

Sora fixed him with a furious glare. "Shut up. I told you already: get out of my heart." One last swing of the Keyblade, and he was gone.

The light links disappeared, and Sora clutched his chest and staggered backwards. "He's gone… I'm free…"

He laughed, his shoulders convulsing and shuddering as he threw his head back. The sound was very different from Xehanort's cruel laughter from before. But as Kairi and Riku watched, his laughter turned to sobs, and he collapsed to the ground at their feet.

"I… I never wanted to hurt you. Kairi, Riku, I'm so sorry. How can you ever forgive me?" He covered his face with his hands, refusing to make eye contact with either of them.

Riku crouched next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "We already have. It's like Kairi said, we don't blame you for what happened."

"I know I asked you not to come for me," Sora sniffed, "but I-I'm glad you did."

"Of course. You're our friend. We'd never abandon you." Sora threw his arms around Riku, and Riku sighed and patted him on the head. "Fine, just this once. But I have to say, running off on your own, making a deal with Xehanort—seriously? What were you thinking?" He leaned back to give Sora a look.

"I just… everyone was depending on me to save them. I couldn't… I couldn't let them down. I couldn't stop, not till everyone was saved. Aqua and Ven wanted to see Terra so badly… I wanted them to be together again. And Xehanort, I knew he was after you, Kairi. I-I wanted to keep you safe."

He cared. He cared so much that he'd stopped thinking about his own wellbeing. Kairi knelt next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He shuddered at her touch but finally looked her in the eye. The agony and guilt and shame in his expression made her heart ache.

"That's why his control over you broke when I got hurt, isn't it?" she said. She'd bet her life that it would, and she'd been right.

Sora swallowed and nodded, his eyes going to her neck again. He hesitated for a moment, then lifted his hand so he could heal it. It didn't change what had happened, but Kairi hoped it would make him feel better, at least. The memory would forever be burned into her mind, but she didn't blame him.

If only he wouldn't blame himself.

"Sora, why did you…" She paused, recollecting her thoughts. "I mean, does your own life really mean that little to you?"

Sora's voice was very quiet when he spoke again. "Give me some credit, Kairi. It's not that I don't value my own life."

"Then what is it, Sora?" Riku asked.

"I'm nothing without you guys. You're the real heroes. You were all chosen or born into your destinies. I was never meant to be a part of all of this. My heart's a small price to pay to make sure that you guys win. It's the least I can do." He wiped his eyes and continued. "And I can't—I can't bear to lose any of you. What happens to me doesn't matter. I don't care, as long as you're all safe."

Kairi felt like crying. She did care. She cared more than he could ever know. Did he really see himself like that? Exposable, dispensable, nothing special? She had to get him to see just how much he meant to her, to everyone. But before she could say or do anything, Riku spoke up.

"You almost lost us anyway with that attitude. Is this what you really wanted? To become one of Xehanort's pawns, his tools?"

Sora shook his head.

"I didn't think so," Riku said softly.

"Sora," Kairi said, taking his hands in hers, "you're as much of a hero as the rest of us. You saved me. You saved Ven and Roxas and Naminé and Xion. You helped Riku and King Mickey save Aqua. You saved Terra, too. And you know what?"

"What?"

She cupped his cheek. "Don't you think it's about time we saved you?" She smiled sadly at him, brushing the tears away from his eyes. What would it take to see his smile again?

"Kairi…" His heart reacted to her words and touch, warmth and light radiating from where they sat.

"Come back to us," she whispered, giving his hand one final squeeze. "We'll be waiting."

* * *

Naminé breathed a sigh of relief, even as the battle continued around her.

Sora was safe, and for now, that was all that mattered.

 _Kairi, Riku, thank you._


	19. Chapter 19 - Guilt

Chapter 19 – Guilt

"Sora!"

Terra skidded to a halt so he could crouch next to Sora. Sora's hair was brown again, but his eyes were closed and his face pallid. Terra saw red at the evidence of physical abuse, at the cuts and welts marring his skin.

"This is all my fault," he whispered. "Sora, I'm so sorry." Kairi and Riku lay beside him and held his hands, eyes similarly closed. "Are they alright?" he asked.

Aqua's soft hand rested on his shoulder for a moment before she moved closer. "Yes, thank goodness." She sighed and brushed a strand of hair out of Kairi's face. "They must be inside his heart, helping him."

"Like when Sora came for me." Ven took Sora's hand in his. "Sorry it took so long. We came as soon as we could." He hung his head and sighed.

Out of all of them, he had been affected by this the most. After years of taking shelter in Sora's heart, it seemed they still shared a connection. And that connection had told him something terrible had happened to Sora, something worse than possession. Something that had nearly destroyed him. They'd rushed here, fearing the worst.

Terra had a good guess as to what it might have been that had made Sora feel that way, but he kept his mouth shut. There was no need for Aqua to stress out even more about what had happened, and she'd find out the truth in the end, anyway.

"Terra, Aqua, Ven, Xehanort will find us soon." Mickey was looking similarly forlorn, but that hadn't stopped him from keeping his guard up. "I think Sora ran away from everyone else and came here. It's the only reason that explains why he was alone, and why they haven't found us here yet."

"He's a fighter," Aqua said, stroking a sticky clump of hair out of his face. The cuts and welts on his skin disappeared at her touch.

"Even after everything, he was still trying to reach us." Ven dug a water bottle out of the tiny bag Aqua had enchanted for him and set it next to Sora.

Terra understood. He'd never stopped reaching out to Aqua and Ven, either. Something deep inside of him had refused to give up. Ven had been safe for most of their separation, but Aqua – he'd heard her voice, alone in the dark, and he had to answer the cry of her heart. It didn't matter what Xehanort had done to him. That would never change.

Riku and Kairi stirred, their tired eyes blinking open.

"How is he?" Ven asked, practically pouncing on Riku's arm.

"He's himself again," Riku said as he sat up, a weary smile on his face. "He'll pull through."

Kairi looked haggard. Her red hair stuck together in dingy clumps, and dark circles were under her eyes. But as soon as Sora stirred, she scooted closer to him. His eyes fluttered open, and they were even more blue than usual against his ashen skin.

"Kairi," he whispered, his voice hoarse, and she took his hand in hers.

"I'm here." She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cracked knuckles before moving aside to make room for Ven. Aqua went to work making sure she and Riku weren't injured, and Ven gathered Sora in his arms and hugged him tightly.

"You're okay. You're alive and you're okay," Ven whispered, his whole body trembling. "Earlier, I thought your heart was – something hurt you, something awful. Your heart was breaking and I thought – I thought that—I thought that you were _dying_ , you were hurting so bad. I'm sorry. I wanted to protect you, but I couldn't, and—" He closed his eyes and scrunched his face up to keep from crying. When he finally let go, Sora's eyes were misty, too.

It was Aqua's turn next. She took Sora's hands in hers. "Sora, how could you – why would you—"

"You were hurting, Aqua," Sora choked out. "You and Ven were hurting, and my heart ached for you. How could I just stand there and watch you suffer when I knew I could do something to make it right?"

Tears trailed down Aqua's cheeks as she clung to Sora's hands, and Terra felt even worse than he had before. He wasn't worth whatever price Sora had paid.

 _Terra, it was his choice, and he made it freely. He's fragile enough as it is. Don't take that away from him, too. Look in his eyes. If you tell him you weren't worth the cost, then you will make his suffering meaningless, and that would be a crueler blow than anything Xehanort has ever dealt him._

 _I know. But would he have agreed to pay the price for my freedom, if he'd known what the cost would be?_

 _That is something you will have to ask him yourself._

Terra sighed. He was sick of the people around him sacrificing everything for his mistakes. First Eraqus had lost his body, then Aqua had lost her freedom, and now Sora had lost himself, the part of him that would never hurt his friends. Terra knew what that level of violation felt like, because he'd experienced it, too. It was a knowledge he'd never wanted to possess, and now Sora shared it.

Sora looked at Terra, his anguished eyes searching for what, Terra didn't know. But before either of them could say anything, an ominous noise sounded from the other end of the hall. The marble floor began to crack, something beneath them making the whole place shudder.

"Donald! Goofy! You've gotta get out of here! Get Sora to the Gummi Ship!" Mickey commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"And someone else carry him," Mickey added. "The rest of us hafta go back and face Xehanort. The others still need our help."

"I'll do it," Terra said. "I know this place backwards and forwards."

Terra gathered Sora in his arms and stood. Looking at him like this, it was hard to believe he was the key to everything. He was too young for the burdens he'd had to bear.

"Terra," Sora said, something very vulnerable in his eyes. He was so weak and fragile, completely spent from the torment he'd been through.

 _All for me. Why… why would you…_

Terra's grip tightened. The overwhelming urge to protect Sora had come over him. They'd all looked to Sora as the one who would heal their hurt, but as it turned out, his heart needed mending just as badly.

Terra could only hope he and his friends were up to the task.

"You're safe. I won't let Xehanort hurt you." Terra paused, wondering if he should give voice to his next thought. In the end, he decided to go for it, because if Sora was anything like him, the guilt for whatever it was he'd been forced to do was already starting to haunt him. "You won't hurt your friends, Sora. Xehanort can't make you hurt them anymore."

Sora's eyes watered, and Terra knew he'd said the right thing, for once.

Aqua pulled a fluffy blanket out of her pouch, and Ven tucked the water bottle in beside Sora. While Aqua set about enchanting the blanket to help Sora sleep, the cracks grew larger and the noises louder.

"Sleepy," Sora murmured. Then he struggled against Terra. "I don't wanna sleep, I've gotta help you guys fight…"

"Shhhh, it's okay." Aqua gave his hand a squeeze as she tucked the blanket around him. "Right now the best thing you can do to help us is to get some rest, and this blanket will help with that."

Sora's eyelids drooped, and a few seconds later, he was fast asleep. Terra took off with Donald and Goofy right behind him.

"Where should we take him?" Goofy asked.

As Terra dodged falling debris and collapsing pillars and cracked floors, there was only one place that made sense. Only one place where Sora might feel safe.

"Home."

* * *

"Riku! Kairi!"

Sora ran towards his friends. They were walking up the windy path leading to Kairi's house, laughing and chatting about something he couldn't quite make out. The sun was shining in the blue sky up above and a gentle breeze blew past, another beautiful day on the islands. Maybe Kairi's family was having them all over for lunch. Her mother made the best coconut ice cream, and it had been ages since he'd had some.

He reached Riku and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. Riku tensed. Black smoke oozed out of Sora's hand, making Riku cough as it swirled around him.

"Oh, it's you." Riku gave him a cold glare. "You know, even when I was possessed by Ansem, I never hurt Kairi. But you were too weak to stop Xehanort from strangling her."

Sora stumbled backwards, his feet tripping over a rock. "Riku, I—"

Kairi turned around. Her neck still had the bruises he'd made on it. Would nothing he did ever fix what had happened?

"Where is it, Sora?"

"Kairi—" He reached his hand towards her, trying to heal the damage he'd caused. But darkness came out of it instead. She screamed and put her hands over the oozing black spots.

Why wouldn't his body do what he wanted it to? Why did everything he did end up hurting her? She pulled her hand back to reveal scars. Scars of his creation, physical manifestations of the hurt he'd caused.

"Where's my lucky charm?" she demanded.

He reached into his pocket, but when he pulled the charm out, it had been torn apart. His stomach churned at the sight of it. He dared to look at her, his heart pounding.

"You broke your promise." Her eyes were dark, and she looked at him in a way she never had before. "You hurt me. How could I ever love someone like you?"

Sora collapsed into a pile on the path, still clutching the broken charm as he apologized over and over again. Kairi glared down at him as if he was the scum of the earth, and the worst part was that he knew she was right.

"Don't make me laugh," Riku said. "Do you really think 'sorry' is good enough? Do you really think groveling will earn our forgiveness?"

Sora's vision swam. "Tell me what to do, then. What can I do to make this right?"

"Look at your heart." He did. Darkness was oozing out of it, spilling onto the path and licking its way around Riku and Kairi's feet. "There's nothing you can do. You belong to the darkness now."

A hand broke through the ground and dragged him down into it. Sora called for help, but Kairi and Riku just watched as he was pulled under, crushed by the weight of the earth. He yelled, but his mouth and nose filled with sand and dirt and he couldn't breathe. It was dark and cold and he just wanted it to stop. He didn't want this. He didn't want any of this.

"Sora," Xehanort's voice called. Sora thrashed against him, but he simply plunged Sora into the darkness over and over again until it was dripping off of him.

"Let go of me!" Sora cried, darkness spilling out of his mouth and nose and eyes and ears and heart. "I'm free from you!"

"Did you really think it would be that easy? I might not be here anymore, but I'm always with you."

Sora screamed as the lucky charm clutched tight in his grip turned to black and burned his skin, branding his hand with an X.

"My mark is on you, and nothing you can do will remove it." He tossed Sora aside before disappearing into the swirling darkness, and with that, Sora was alone. The only sound was his quiet sobs. His hand throbbed and his heart felt like it was breaking all over again.

"I can't – I can't live like this. Someone, anyone, please—"

Something nudged his back, something gentle and warm. He turned around to see what it was. An earnest face stared back at him, one with black eyes, yellow crosses for pupils, and a small pink horn.

"Meow Wow? Is that really you?"

His Dream Eater nuzzled his hand, pink tongue flicking out to lick the wound on it. Sora's eyes watered all over again, and he buried his face in Meow Wow's fur.

"Thank you," he whispered. Here, at least, was someone he hadn't hurt. Stroking his dear pet's fur brought back memories of happier times, when he could fuss over small things like finding the right kind of treat for his friend.

Sora sniffed and wiped his eyes. "Meow Wow, there's something I'd like to ask you. Can you – can you find your friends and ask them to comfort my friends, too? I think… I think they all really need it."

Meow Wow bounced up and down, then bounded off. Sora was alone again. He stared at his hand, at the ugly mark seared into his skin.

"I get it now," he whispered. "You've dragged me down to your level. You've made me like you. Leave me alone. I know what I am. You don't have to remind me anymore."

Meow Wow came bounding back into view. He knocked Sora over and attacked his face with a series of affectionate licks. Sora had to dodge and duck to avoid getting Meow Wow's tongue up his nose and in his mouth.

"Thanks, buddy," he finally managed to get out, in between licks. Satisfied, Meow Wow circled around him a few times before settling next to him. Sora leaned back against his soft fur and sighed.

Even after all that had happened, he hadn't alienated all of his friends. Meow Wow didn't even seem to notice the darkness oozing off of him like some kind of disease. Either that or he didn't care.

"I know I don't deserve this, Meow Wow, but thank you."

* * *

Soft. Soft and warm. Sora was laying on something soft and warm. His eyes fluttered open. He tested his fingers to make sure his body was obeying him again, and he noticed that Xehanort's mark was gone from his hand.

 _Oh. So it_ was _just a nightmare, then._ Aqua's fluffy blanket was draped across him, and he pulled it closer. Donald and Goofy peered down at him, their faces lighting up when they saw he was awake.

"Sora!" they both cried. He sat up, and they jumped on the bed and enveloped him in a hug. At least this way he didn't have to look into their eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. The temporary lightness his heart had experienced after breaking free from Xehanort had been replaced with an awful, sinking feeling. His friends had risked everything for him, all because he'd taken matters into his own hands. They were in danger, and if anything happened to them, it would be his fault.

"We're just glad you're okay," Goofy said, with Donald nodding beside him.

"Yeah, anything we can do to help?"

Sora put a hand over his throat. "I'm thirsty," he croaked. He'd screamed himself hoarse, and his body needed a replacement for the fluids he'd lost through all the sweating and crying he'd done.

The water they gave him helped, soothing his parched throat and mouth. The aching in his head subsided, too, but the damage to his heart remained. Kairi and Riku could tell him they forgave him all they wanted, but there was no going back. He'd lost something of himself today, and in its place was a hollow ache.

He felt dirty. Riku understood, since he'd struggled with the darkness. Sora still felt horrible about hurting him, but he knew Riku had experienced what he was feeling right now. But Kairi—

He felt completely unworthy of her. The one person he had promised never to hurt, the one person he had sworn to protect above everything else – and he'd gone and hurt her in some of the cruelest ways imaginable.

He studied his hands. He'd wanted to hold her, to comfort and soothe her, but it wasn't enough that Xehanort had forced him to watch her torment when she was a child – no, it never was. No pain was too much, no torture too cruel for that monster, so long as it brought him closer to his goals.

 _He made_ me _her tormentor. He knew exactly what he was doing to me_ and _to her._

 _No wonder Ven thought I was dying._

 _But I'm not dead. I'm not dead, and now… now I have to live with myself._

He had no idea how. All he knew was that he didn't deserve to be in the same room as Kairi, let alone look her in the eye. The memory of the bruises and welts his fingers had made around her neck still made him sick. It didn't matter if Xehanort had forced him to do it. His hands had done the deed. His body had hurt hers.

Where was she? Riku wasn't here, either. The last thing he remembered was Terra lifting him into his arms and Aqua tucking the blanket around him. He was back… back home? On Destiny Islands? Sora looked around him. It was his bed, and his room. The little wooden ship with its dolls was still hanging from his ceiling. The dolls he'd made to represent—

Still too painful to think about. Just how Donald and Goofy had explained themselves to his mom, he had no idea.

" _Sorry, ma'am, but your son almost killed his best friends, and we figured he could come here and rest up for a while as he tries to get over it. A-hyuck."_

He pushed thoughts of that conversation out of his head and focused on the important thing.

"Where's Kairi? Where's Riku?"

"They're still fightin'."

"Yeah, Xehanort has to be stopped."

Panic rose in the pit of Sora's stomach. "I thought… I thought Terra was taking me out of there. Is he with them too? Is everyone else?"

"Yup," Goofy said. "Everyone who can fight is fightin' right now."

This was not what Sora wanted to hear. "But what if they make the χ-blade?"

"Well, seein' as how Xehanort's short a Seeker now, they might be able to beat him without makin' it," Goofy explained.

"It's risky, but we can't just let him go on with what he's doing," Donald added.

"So they're all still back at the volcano fortress? They're still in danger?!"

"Sora…"

"What about you guys?" he asked. "Why aren't you fighting?"

They exchanged looks. "Do you really hafta ask?" Goofy said. "We brought you back here to take care of you. The King asked us to."

"I'm fine," Sora said, more forcefully than he'd intended. "How long have I been out? I gotta go help them." He staggered to his feet, but Donald blocked him with his staff.

"No, you're not. You aren't in any shape to fight right now."

"Yes, I am." He summoned his Keyblade to prove it. It was good to see the Kingdom Key again, as opposed to Xehanort's horrible Keyblade. His involuntary rest had restored enough of his energy. He could fight again.

"We're not talkin' about your body, Sora." Goofy gave him a sad look, and he hated it. Like Goofy could see straight into his heart and had decided the impurity there made him unworthy to fight.

"Look, I know what I did. I know my heart's been corrupted. I know I don't deserve to fight alongside you guys anymore. But you need all the help you can get."

Tears were forming in their eyes. Why? Why were they so upset? Sora was just stating the facts.

"You think that's why we don't want you to fight?" Donald asked, scrunching his face up fiercely to keep from crying.

"Well, isn't it? Look at me." He clutched the black coat he was wearing and waved the material in their faces. "This is who I am now."

"Listen to him, Goofy," Donald said. "Going on and on about how he thinks he's no good anymore."

Goofy hiccupped and wiped his nose. Unlike Donald, he let the tears flow freely. "It's not true, Sora. Whatever Xehanort told you, it's not true."

"Yes it is! After what I did, I don't deserve to—"

They cut him off with another hug, and he stumbled backwards and fell on the bed. They held him, and after a moment he found himself hugging them back.

It was difficult to hold out against their relentless attempts at comfort.

"Sora," Goofy said afterwards, "in all our travels, I've never met someone with a heart like yours. You're always tryin' to help folks, even when it hurts you."

"Yeah, it's why Xehanort wanted your heart so bad," Donald added. "You're different from him. You would give your life for us, but he only hurts people to help himself."

Sora wanted to believe them, but he couldn't. Maybe that had been true before, but Xehanort had torn it away from Sora and remade him in his image. His eyes flickered to the mirror in the corner. His face stared back, looking haggard and hollow. The silver and gold might be gone, back to brown and blue, but Xehanort's mark was still there, oozing off of his heart and soul and poisoning everything around him.

"Can't you see?" he whispered. "I'm not – I'm not good. Not anymore. That's… been taken away from me, and there's no going back."

"You're upset with yourself because you _are_ a good person," Goofy said. "If you really were like Xehanort, you wouldn't be feelin' guilty for whatcha did. Even though it's not your fault," he hastily added.

Was it really true? He wanted it to be. He wanted to know he was different from Xehanort.

"Sora, the reason why we don't want you to fight isn't because we think you're bad," Donald said.

"Then what is it?" he said softly.

"Your heart's been broken." Goofy's voice was choked with emotion, as if his heart was the one that had been broken instead. Perhaps it had been. "We don't want you to rush into another fight when you're hurtin' so badly."

"Goofy," Sora said, his voice steady, "there are bigger things at stake here than my heart. I can deal with it later. Right now, I have to fight." Every moment they delayed, his other friends were that much more likely to—

"There you go again! Putting everyone before yourself!" Donald was shaking, a huge scowl on his face even as his words were complimentary.

"You don't care about your own heart, do you? Well, Donald and I do, and we can see how bad a shape it's in. We won't let you fight like this!"

That was enough. "You can't stop me!" His Keyblade was gripped in his fingers, ready for—

"No," Goofy said, dropping his shield. "No, we can't. But before you go runnin' off, we have one thing we'd like you to do."

Sora lowered his Keyblade. "What?"

Donald took Goofy's hand, and they both offered their free hands to Sora.

"Share it," Donald said.

"Huh?"

"What he means is, share your hurt with us. Do that thing where you connect folks' hearts."

They both smiled, and Sora dropped his Keyblade.

"I can't." He couldn't burden them with—

"What, you think the three of us together can't handle it?" Donald gave him a teasing look that made Sora's heart ache.

"Sora, we want to help you," Goofy said. "You're our pal."

Sora hesitated. It would feel better, if he could get some of this off his chest. It was too much to bear, swirling around inside of him all at once, threatening to engulf him in an ocean of pain. He couldn't hold it all in anymore, or it would explode and hurt everyone around him. And he was sick of hurting his friends.

He swallowed and took their hands in his.

"Close your eyes, okay?"

Bit by bit, he shared his pain with them. The agony leading up to it all, knowing what would happen but being unable to say a word of it to anyone, the suffering Xehanort had inflicted on him, the despair he'd felt the moment before Xehanort had taken over his heart, the violation as Xehanort had used his body to hurt Riku and Kairi, the guilt as he witnessed the aftermath of what he'd done – once he started, he couldn't stop. It all came out in a rush. All except what had happened to Kairi. That didn't feel right to share, so he held it back.

Donald and Goofy started crying, and the sight of their tears, knowing they were crying for him, was more healing than their words could ever have been. With each memory he shared, his heart grew lighter. The pain remained, but it no longer felt like it might crush him under its weight.

When it was over, Goofy took Sora's black coat off and held it up while Donald set it on fire. In the middle of his room, in an area of the floor cleared of stray old toys and dirty clothes and other clutter.

 _My mom is_ not _gonna be happy if she finds out about this…_

As if she could read his mind, there was a light knock on the door. He frantically gestured to Donald and Goofy to put out the fire.

"Sora, honey?"

They were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, so he took matters into his own hands and used the remaining contents of Ven's water bottle to douse it.

"H-hey Mom, what's up?"

"Can I come in?"

"Uh, sure—"

She opened the door, took one look at the charred, soaking wet black coat and the smoke in the room, and raised an eyebrow.

"I can explain—"

She shook her head. "Don't. I don't want to know." In her arms she held a tray with a plate on it. "I thought you might be hungry," she said, carrying it to his bedside table and setting it down. It was his favorite meal, a hodgepodge of rice and shrimp and tropical fruit.

"Thanks."

She turned to look at him, her piercing blue eyes staring into his. "Sweetheart, are you feeling better now? Donald and Goofy told me—"

"I'm fine."

Her brow furrowed, and she pursed her lips. Clearly, she wasn't buying it.

"Okay, I am a little hungry," he mumbled. "Thanks for the food. I think it'll help."

There. Maybe now she wouldn't be so worried about him anymore.

"Yes, you'll feel better if you eat," she said, her eyes softening. Then her gaze flickered to his arms, and he remembered too late that the black coat was no longer covering the welts and bruises Xehanort's restraints had made. No one had bothered to heal them, and he hadn't had the presence of mind or desire to do it himself.

"Oh, Sora."

He couldn't look her in the eye.

"I didn't want you to worry," he said, his voice low. He hadn't wanted any of them to worry.

"Come here," she simply said, holding her arms open wide. He threw his arms around her, his eyes burning. She felt safe and warm. It had been too long since he'd been home.

"I worry about you every day that you're gone. I know what you're up against, and sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision in letting you leave again. Not that I could have stopped you," she added with a weak chuckle. "But it's hard… it's hard, knowing the danger you're facing…"

She trailed off, her voice choking up.

"I know." His grip tightened, not sure who was comforting whom.

She cleared her throat. "You've gotten so tall. You'll be all grown up before I know it." She let go so she could look at him. "And handsome, too. You look so much like your father now."

Sora wasn't sure he deserved the comparison.

"Donald, Goofy, thank you for taking care of him," she said, picking up the water bottle and setting it back on the bedside table.

"Of course, ma'am." The coat had been disposed of, though where and how, Sora had no idea.

She made her way back to the door, but before she closed it behind her, she said, "Riku and Kairi are here. I asked them to wait, since you were resting, but should I send them up now?"

So they were safe. They were safe and they were here. He wanted to see them.

But he couldn't. He couldn't face them again. Not yet.

"I… " He clutched his arms. "I can't."

"Sora?"

Sora sank back onto the bed and put his hand over his face. "Mom, I messed up really bad. I hurt them, and I can't… I can't face them right now," he whispered.

She understood. "I'll tell them to come back later." The door closed behind her. Donald and Goofy followed after her, to find out how things had gone.

Sora stared at the food by his bed as it went cold. He'd lost his appetite.

He pulled the blankets back over him and buried his head beneath the covers. Sleep, if Meow Wow came back to visit him, might be able to provide him with some relief from this nightmare that was his new reality.

* * *

A/N: You might be wondering what else happened at the volcano fortress. Never fear, that will be covered in next week's chapter.

Also, I know these characters' families aren't really mentioned all that much, but I did want to delve into that aspect of their lives a bit more, hence Sora's mother's inclusion in this chapter.

As always, thank you for reading!


	20. Chapter 20 - Defeat

Chapter 20 – Defeat

"So filled with anger and rage." Young Xehanort easily parried Terra's attack. Mickey in turn ambushed him with a series of light orbs, and he winced.

"Shut up!" Aqua joined with Terra to create golden chains that trapped most of their enemies and chained them to the pillars lining the hall. Kairi spared a second to watch. She could only hope she and Sora would fight that impressively together someday.

 _I have to get stronger. Better. Right now, I rely too much on Sora to—_

 _Oh, Sora._ She still couldn't get his heartbroken cries out of her head. Would things ever be the same between them again?

She shook her head. She didn't have time for this right now.

 _Focus, Kairi, focus!_

… _Still, I hope Donald and Goofy got him home okay._

Kairi glanced over at Naminé. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as sweat dripped down her face. The Riku Replica was on the ground in the middle of the room. His eyes were closed and he had a hand clasped over his heart. Vexen and Luxord were similarly unable to fight as Naminé's magic filled their minds and repaired the damage she'd caused.

Kairi hadn't seen what exactly Naminé had done to them, but she'd seen the aftermath and it hadn't been pretty. It was incredible that she'd already made this much progress in restoring them. Isa and Vanitas were already standing again. The other Seekers must not have been around for what had happened, because they seemed unaffected.

Truth be told, it would be better for the Guardians if Naminé left the damaged Seekers in their current state, but knowing Xehanort, he'd just go out and find more people to torment. Kairi could see why she preferred not to let that happen, even if it did give Xehanort an advantage.

But then again, maybe not. Naminé was their enemy and she was choosing to help them. That made a pretty strong case for turning sides.

"Let's get to the point, shall we?" Xehanort said, and Kairi whirled around to face him. "Saïx, now!"

Isa froze. He and Lea were at a stalemate, blades locked.

"Saïx?" Xehanort asked.

"I won't do it," Isa said. He took a step backwards and dropped his Claymore.

"Isa?" Lea had a hopeful look on his face, and hope was dangerous. Kairi was about to warn him not to let his guard down when Vanitas charged at her. She had to parry the attack, distracting her from what was happening.

"Kairi, you shouldn't be here," he said, his voice so low she could barely hear it.

"Huh?"

"Lea, get out of here," Isa said, before Vanitas could say anything else.

Ansem's guardian grabbed Isa and threw him against the wall. He coughed and slumped to the ground. Lea raced towards him, only for the guardian to pick Isa up and do it again. His eyes rolled back in his head, and Lea threw caution to the wind.

"Isa, talk to me!" He attacked the guardian, trying desperately to reach his friend.

"Are you sure your Seekers are completely loyal to you?" Young Xehanort asked of his older self. "You seem to be having some difficulty in keeping them in check."

Good. That was the best news they'd heard all day. Then his eyes flickered over to Naminé's hiding spot, and fear filled Kairi's heart. She ran over and cast another barrier around her friend. When she looked over at Lea again, he was still struggling against Ansem's guardian.

"Stop it! You're gonna kill him!"

There was a strange look in his eyes that Kairi had never seen before. Usually he was cool and calm and collected, only letting his mask slip around people he trusted. But he wasn't even bothering now. The desperation and rage were being broadcast loud and clear to everyone in the room.

Including Xehanort. He nodded at Ansem, who had his guardian pick Isa's limp body up one last time. Isa's face was deathly pale and his eyes were closed. Sweat drenched his blue hair, and Kairi knew that he couldn't take much more of this.

Xigbar grinned. "What do you think will happen if we throw him against the wall one more time, Axel?"

Lea threw his flaming Keyblade at the Guardian with all his might. "Shut up! The name's not Axel, it's Lea. L-E-A. Got it memorized?"

"Will you save your friend, or leave him to die?" Young Xehanort said.

"Lea, don't listen to them!" Riku shouted, getting a boost off of Terra so he could land a blow on the Guardian. It merely teleported out of the way, Isa still in tow. When Kairi finally spotted it again, it was floating dangerously high, dangling Isa's body far above their heads.

"It's your choice to make," Xehanort said. "Will you save your friend or let him die? I can always find more Seekers of Darkness." As if to prove it, the Guardian let Isa's body slip a few inches.

Lea glared at Xehanort. "Don't taunt me, old man. You already know the answer to that question."

"Then will you agree to stay with us in return for Isa's life?"

Kairi took one look at Lea's face, her heart pounding. "Lea, no! We can still—"

Vanitas landed a blow on her leg, and she cried out.

"Get out of here," he warned, his eyes flashing. Ven healed her and doubled down on Vanitas. He tried to give Ven the same warning. She looked back to Lea, not believing what she was hearing. Surely—

"Axel, no! Don't do it!" Roxas slashed at Xemnas, who dodged his attack and caught Xion, distracted as she was by what was happening, with one of his lightning bolts. She clutched her side and doubled over. Naminé took one look at her and darted out of her shelter to help.

If they lost Naminé, they would lose the war. Her determination to help Xion was admirable, but—

Lea took one last look at Isa, then rushed over to shield Xion and Naminé. Xehanort simply laughed.

"Have you made your decision, then?"

"Not at all," Lea spat. "We haven't negotiated the terms, and if you lay so much as a finger on any of my friends, I will kill you myself, and then every last one of your cronies."

Kairi believed him. In that moment, with that expression on his face, she absolutely believed him.

"And if any of your people take one step closer to Isa, _we_ will kill him," Xemnas said. Terra, Aqua, Mickey, and Riku all froze in place, and Kairi's heart sank. She had hoped they would have been able to sneak past and free Isa. Reducing Xehanort's numbers by even one more person was a good goal to aim for, even if she wanted nothing to do with Isa. But unfortunately that was off the table now.

"Lea, don't do it!" she pleaded. Tears stung her eyes, turning the world into a miserable blur, but she couldn't stop them, nor did she even try. "I already lost Sora. I can't – I can't lose you too."

Lea was her friend, her confidant, her support through all those long, tedious months of training. She couldn't bear to lose him. She couldn't take this any longer. How many more of her friends would be stolen away from her before—

"Well," Xehanort said, "I am willing to accept substitutes. Kairi could take your place."

Kairi froze. So that's what this had been all about. Xehanort had been after her all along. Maybe he hadn't even really needed Sora. Her mind flashed back to the way he'd paused when she'd offered herself up for Sora's freedom and knew it must be true.

"No." Lea stopped Kairi before she could say anything. He looked from Roxas and Xion to Kairi. "If I stay with you, _Xehanort,_ will you let them all go?"

"Yes, I will. It seems the final conflict will happen at the Keyblade Graveyard no matter what, as was foretold. There is no use continuing the fighting here."

"And you'll spare Isa's life?"

Xehanort nodded, and Roxas grabbed a hold of Lea. "Axel, no, we won't—"

Lea summoned a Corridor of Darkness. "Yes, you will. Get out of here, while you still can." He turned back to them and lowered his voice. "This is my choice, all right? I have to help Isa. And this way, you've got a man on their side, got it memorized?"

"No, we won't leave you!" Xion prepared to transform into her armored form.

"Xion, we hafta go." Mickey tugged on her hand. "If we stay here, we'll just get captured."

"Lea, we'll come back for you, I promise!" Kairi couldn't tear her eyes away from his face. She barely registered Aqua calling her name, or even when Aqua and Riku pulled her through the portal.

All she could hear were his final words, over and over again in her head: "No. Kairi, Xion, Roxas, I'll come back for you, because you're my friends. Riku, take care of them for me."

It wasn't until Xehanort threatened to take Naminé too, which made Roxas flip out, send a horde of Nobodies after him, and pull Naminé inside with him, that they were all away from Xehanort.

* * *

Lea's portal led them to Twilight Town. They trudged along, no one saying a single thing as they went through. Naminé and Xion were both supporting Roxas. Going by the look on his face, it seemed unwise to let him continue on alone. Xion sniffled every few moments, earning a sympathetic look from Naminé.

As bad as the circumstances were, Kairi was glad to see that they were working together. She wasn't sure they'd be able to, with the situation surrounding Roxas. But hard times had a funny way of bringing people together, and Kairi hadn't forgotten how Naminé had darted out of her shelter to protect Xion. Xion wouldn't have, either. Such bravery in the face of danger was not easily forgotten.

Kairi leaned against Riku, her legs wobbling as she dragged them along. He'd been so strong throughout this whole thing. She couldn't have imagined going through it alone. Thank goodness for his support.

They all emerged in the courtyard of the Old Mansion, exhausted and spent and not feeling so great after going through a Corridor of Darkness with minimal protection. Combined with the battle they had just lost, and everyone was glum.

"Mickey," Aqua said, her voice tired and scratchy, "I think we should split up. Xehanort says he'll wait for us at the Keyblade Graveyard, but it's still a bad idea to have seven potential Guardians in the same place until then. And wherever Kairi goes, she needs to have guards. Naminé, too. We can't let either of them fall into Xehanort's hands. If we lose either of them, we'll lose the war."

Mickey nodded. "I'll lead one group, and you can lead the other."

They discussed what to do, and in the end, Roxas and Xion decided to stay with Mickey so they could help guard Naminé. Everyone else was in Aqua's group. Mickey discussed taking his group somewhere else, but Naminé just shook her head, insisting they stay here.

"It feels like home," she said. "And if any of Xehanort's people come, I can make them forget we're here. We'll be safe, I promise."

Riku spoke up. "Fair enough. But we should send word to Master Yen Sid about what happened to Lea. He helped hide the Princesses of Heart, and if Xehanort has him now—"

"Then the princesses are in danger," Ven finished for him. "I can do it. I'll go to his tower and tell him."

Kairi sighed. Would people be after her and her fellow princesses her entire life? She was tired of hiding and running away.

Terra put a shoulder on Ven's arm. "I'll go with you. Aqua, where do you want to rendezvous afterwards?"

"Actually," Aqua said, "I was thinking I should go with you, too. We have to keep the princesses safe, and moving them again will be difficult. Riku, take Kairi home. Goofy and Donald are already there with Sora, and they can help you protect Kairi. We'll meet you on Destiny Islands afterwards."

It was settled. Kairi felt like she was floating through a dream as she said her goodbyes to everyone. It wasn't until she and Riku were in Sora's kitchen, only to hear from his mother that he didn't want to see either of them, that she snapped out of her mental fog. She wasn't surprised, really, but disappointment didn't listen to logic or reason.

Riku filled Donald and Goofy in on what had happened, and she absentmindedly chimed in every now and then. But she couldn't shake the feeling that it didn't matter what plans they made, or how much time they had. Sora needed something more than just time to help him recover.

"Can you… can you give this to Sora for me?" Kairi asked on her way out. She handed Sora's mother her diary. Maybe Sora wouldn't talk to her face-to-face, but she could at least try to reach him through this.

"Of course. I'm sure he'll be glad to read it."

* * *

Sora didn't know how long he'd slept when he woke up again. But he knew he needed a shower. The soap and hot water ran over his body, lifting dead skin cells and dried blood mingled with sweat and washing them down the drain. He scrubbed his skin raw, hoping it might remove some of the dirt.

But no matter what he did, he couldn't get clean. Showers didn't wash hearts, just bodies.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror again afterwards. Haunted eyes stared back at him, though the dark circles from before had faded after sleeping. He sighed and raked a finger through his dripping hair, then dried himself off and got dressed.

At the sight of the cold food his mother had left, his stomach rumbled. He was starving. He ventured downstairs and began scrounging around in drawers and cabinets for something to eat. Bread would make for a good sandwich, but he was so hungry he decided to just eat the entire loaf on its own.

He'd settled into one of the kitchen chairs and had taken a big chunk out of the bread when something caught his eye. He froze. Sitting on the table across from him was Kairi's diary.

She must've left it with his mom for him to read. He leaned over the table and grabbed it, then stared at the cover for a good two minutes before he mustered up the courage to open it.

The pages opened to his most recent letter. The ink was smeared and the pages were all crinkly, like someone had spilled water on it—

Oh. Those weren't water stains. Guilt seeped into his heart as he realized what they were. With trembling fingers, he turned to the next page.

 **Dear Sora,**

The entire first line was a string of words that he'd never heard come out of Kairi's mouth before. He hadn't even been sure (well, before now, anyway) that she knew half the colorful expressions in her little tirade.

His lips twitched in spite of himself. _Geez, Kairi, wanna wash that mouth of yours out with some soap?_ It had caught his attention though, so she'd succeeded in that regard. He continued reading.

 **Sorry, had to get it out of my system. I could say a lot of things right now, but they wouldn't really help. Swearing doesn't really hurt anybody though, right? And when I first read your letter, I was pretty pissed. Pissed and upset, and sorry to tell you, but yeah, you did make me cry.**

The tear-soaked pages had been confirmation enough, but he still felt a stab of guilt at her words.

 _What was I thinking? How could I do this to her?_ With trepidation he worked up the nerve to continue.

 **I think I ruined Riku's shirt, too. You might owe him a new one after this. Don't tell him I told you though. He's such a softie, even if he acts all tough.**

Sora let out a choked noise that would have been a laugh in any other circumstance. How was it that she always knew what to say to lighten the mood?

 **Anyway, I get why you pushed me away now. I wish you hadn't, but I understand why you did. At first I thought it might be because your feelings for me were changing…**

"I already told you. That's never gonna happen," he whispered, tracing the crinkly pages.

 **…but then I realized something was troubling you. I didn't know what it was, but it hurt me to see you hurting. I wanted to ease your pain, but I didn't know how. Looking back, I really should have figured it out. You gave me so many clues, and I just missed them all. I'm kind of a lousy girlfriend in that regard. Sorry about that.**

"You're not a lousy girlfriend. Don't call yourself that. If anything, I'm a lousy—" He stopped. He had no business calling himself that anymore. He turned his attention back to the diary.

 **I'm glad you didn't push me away completely. I've cherished every moment we've spent together, even the ones where you were obviously hiding something from me.**

"I did, too."

 **And to finally address the elephant in the room—**

Sora slammed the book shut. It took him several more minutes to get it open again.

 **—I won't sugarcoat things, okay? I know that'll only make you feel worse.**

 **It was scary when you choked me. I knew something like that might happen, and I even chose to force Xehanort's hand. Sorry about that, by the way. I didn't know what else to do, and now you're suffering the emotional fallout for it. Please don't blame yourself.**

 **But even though I let you do that, it was still scary. I didn't know how much of you was still in there. I wanted to believe you were, but Xehanort made you hurt Riku right in front of me, and I thought he might make you kill me. I mean, it wouldn't have made any sense if he had, but it's hard to think of that when you're gasping for air.**

 **It's funny, though. I knew that I might die, because who isn't aware of their own mortality when their life is on the line, right? But that's not what was on my mind. All I could think about was reaching your heart. I refused to give up on you. I knew you were still in there, and I was right.**

 **And you know what? I'm not going to give up on you now, either. So don't you dare give up on yourself. All the things that make you you – your beautiful smile, your kind eyes, your spiky hair, your steadfast courage, and most of all, your big heart – they're still there.**

 **Xehanort can try to warp your heart all he wants, but he'll never succeed, because he doesn't get that. He doesn't understand what makes you tick, what pumps the blood through your veins.**

 **Maybe it's arrogant to claim to understand someone else, but you know what? I'm going to do just that.**

 **I know you, Sora. I know you love me. Nothing Xehanort has done or will ever do can change that. You've already proven that you would die for me, and not a day goes by when I don't think about that. It doesn't matter what he made you do to me. How I feel about you hasn't changed.**

 **We might not be able to change the past, but we can move forward. I know this is going to be a long and hard journey for you, but I'm with you, every step of the way.**

 **Well, if you want me to be, anyway. We're doing this on your terms, because after what you've been through, you deserve that much, at least.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Kairi**

Splotches. There were splotches on the pages now, making the ink run and smearing it all over his fingers. Maybe the ink from her words would seep into his skin till it reached his veins and arteries. Then his blood could carry it to his heart and purge the corruption there.

Slowly, carefully, Sora lifted the book to his lips and kissed it. Fumbling around the kitchen for a pen, he finally found one and reopened the book. It was then that he noticed the P.S. that had escaped his notice before.

 **P.S. Xehanort's got Lea now. Don't feel bad, he wouldn't want you to. It happened when we were fighting Xehanort after you'd left, so it had nothing to do with your rescue. He agreed to it, even. He wants to help Isa. They used to be best friends, did I mention that before? Probably.**

 **Oh, and he also volunteered so that Xehanort wouldn't take me instead.**

 **Vanitas also tried to warn me and Ven. Remember what we talked about? I think it's possible to save him after all. Maybe some of the other Seekers, too. We've got to find a way, if we can.**

 **Terra, Aqua, and Ven went to take the other Princesses of Heart to a new hiding place, and Roxas, Xion, and King Mickey are guarding Naminé. I don't know how long we can stay here before Xehanort comes for me. He says he'll be waiting for us at the Keyblade Graveyard, but who knows what he's really up to.**

How much time did he have to prepare, to figure out a way to put the broken pieces of his heart back together? Probably not enough. Donald and Goofy were right. He was in no shape to fight, the way he was right now. But he had to be, and soon. He couldn't let his friends march into battle while he stayed behind. Especially when some of the Seekers might be able to be saved, too. He hadn't forgotten the show of compassion from Vanitas, and the Riku Replica, and even Isa and—

But saving his friends had been difficult enough. What would it take to save his enemies, too?

He put his head in his hands. "You were right, Kairi. It'll never be over."

* * *

A/N: Glad to finally be able to share the scene where Sora reads Kairi's letter with you all. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you for reading!


	21. Chapter 21 - Mission

Chapter 21 – Mission

"Master Yen Sid! The princesses are in danger!" Ven threw open the door to the top of Master Yen Sid's Tower and skidded to a halt. Terra nearly crashed into him, and Aqua barely steadied herself in time. She grabbed onto Terra's arm, and he tried his best to keep all three of them from toppling over.

The great wizard stood from his chair. "What do you mean, Ventus? Explain what has happened."

Ven did, as fast as he could, with Aqua adding important details that Ven left out in his rush to tell Master Yen Sid everything. Terra was silent. He still couldn't get the agonized look on Sora's face out of his mind.

 _Terra,_ came Eraqus's familiar voice, _beating yourself up with guilt will not help him._

 _I know. But it's my fault this happened. I was too weak to stop him from getting hurt._

Eraqus was silent for a long moment. _We were outnumbered. Without Sora's cooperation, there was nothing we could do. He was determined to save you in the way he thought best, and there was no changing his mind._

 _Well, he made a mistake. I'm not worth the price he paid. His heart got broken, and that's not even getting into how Riku and Kairi and the rest of his friends feel._

Eraqus's voice grew stern. _Don't you dare tell him that. Remember what I said before? If he is to recover, he needs to hear from you that his sacrifice, reckless though it may have been, was not in vain. Think, Terra, think. He set out to save you and spare Aqua and Ventus, and in that sense he succeeded. You can at least tell him that. Because otherwise, whatever lies Xehanort has told him will worm their way inside his heart and make the damage even worse._

Terra's blood ran cold. _You think, even now, Xehanort will still try to—_

 _Yes. His ways haven't changed. I doubt he is through with Sora. His manipulation will continue as long as they both live._

 _Like he manipulated you._

Terra could practically hear Eraqus's sigh. _I wonder if he ever considered me a friend, or if I was always just a tool to him._

After years of residing inside of Terra's heart, Eraqus had gradually opened up to him. It helped that Terra was older, wiser; the years had helped him see that his master was just as human as the rest of them.

And Eraqus had regrets of his own. The biggest, of course, was allowing Xehanort to wreak havoc on the worlds and on his pupils. But there was something more, something personal: the smart of betrayal from an old and dear friend.

 _You deserved better, Master._ Terra, for everything he had been through, still had Aqua and Ven. His friends were faithful and reliable, and he trusted them with his life. But Eraqus's friend had betrayed him, and he was still hurting from that lost friendship years later.

 _It was my foolishness that led to all of this. I refused to see the truth of what Xehanort really is, and first you and now Sora have paid the price._

Terra's skin crawled. He was lucky; he had the light from Eraqus's heart to protect him. Not once since he'd gained his freedom had Xehanort been able to regain a foothold.

But Sora was not so fortunate. He'd freed all the hearts within his, and perhaps a boy so used to having the support of other hearts was more susceptible to the influence of Xehanort's once it had been forced inside of him. That would explain his inability to stop Xehanort from making him hurt his friends.

Unless… unless Xehanort had made it so he was completely unable to stop Xehanort from doing as he pleased. What that must have taken, the amount of suffering and darkness—

Terra didn't want to think about it.

"Terra? Are you okay?" Aqua placed her hand on his arm, and he shuddered at her touch. He made a valiant but pointless effort to ignore the image in his head of Eraqus raising his eyebrow.

"I—" With a start, Terra remembered Aqua and Ven had no idea about Eraqus's true fate. He'd never gotten the chance to tell them. But this was not the time or place. "I'll tell you and Ven about it later, I promise."

Terra paid attention again as they discussed what to do next. Master Yen Sid would create illusions of the princesses across multiple worlds to throw Xehanort off their trail, and the three of them would go to their actual location.

"Once you have found them, bring them to my home world where I will hide them."

"Understood. Thank you, Master Yen Sid," Aqua said.

Yen Sid's face grew serious. "Take care of yourselves, you three. You are exhausted, and the events that have transpired will take time to recover from. Do not be too hard on yourselves or on each other."

Terra should have paid attention to the warning hidden in Yen Sid's tone, but he didn't, and because he didn't, Ven's breakdown as they trekked through the dark, rainy streets of some unfamiliar city took him by surprise when it really had no reason to.

They were looking for a place called an arcade. Aqua had a general idea where it was, but it was taking her time to locate it again in the dark. Ven tripped over the dull, dented lid of a trashcan and refused to get up.

"C'mon Ven, we're getting close," Aqua said, kneeling beside him and brushing mud off his pants.

"It's pointless. It's all pointless." He flopped back onto the grimy wet streets. "It doesn't matter what we do. Xehanort will always win."

It was so unlike Ven's usual determination that Aqua picked up on what must be really happening. "Ven, is that how you really feel, or is that how Sora feels?" she asked.

He shook his head and stared at the dark sky above. "What does it matter? It's true."

Aqua looked to Terra for help, and he knelt next to them both. His muscles ached, and it felt good to finally sit down, even if it was in the middle of a soggy, trash-littered alley.

"Ven, what makes you think Xehanort will win this time? We have more people than ever helping us now. Sora—"

Ven's eyes flashed. "You can count Sora out."

Aqua sighed. "Sora got hurt again, it's true, but there's always hope. We're all here for him. He'll pull through."

He clutched the spot above his heart and glared at Aqua. "Hurt? _Hurt?_ You call what Xehanort did to him getting hurt?"

Aqua winced at the biting tone of his words. She opened her mouth to speak when Terra intervened. He refused to just watch Ven hurl verbal abuse at her. The link Ven had to Sora might be the reason behind his words, but it didn't excuse them.

"Ven, that's enough," he warned. "We're all feeling down, especially you. You still have that heart link to Sora, and whatever you're feeling right now is at least partly because of that."

Instead of calming down, Ven just redirected his wrath towards Terra. "Shut up," he spat. "You have no idea. You have no idea how he feels."

Oh, that did it. Terra felt the telltale signs of anger boiling within him – his pulse speeding up, his body tensing, his vision narrowing. "Ven, of all the people in the universe, I am one of the few people who knows _exactly_ how he feels."

"Then why didn't you stop him?" Ven asked, his voice cracking. "Why didn't you stop him from giving himself over for you? Why didn't you stop Xehanort from letting it happen?"

In that moment, Ven's anguished eyes looked exactly like Sora's, and Terra froze. It felt like someone had punched him in the chest. He just stared at Ven, unable to say anything. For Ven was simply voicing the same questions he'd asked himself.

"Ven, that's enough!" It was Aqua's turn to be upset. Her whole body was shaking, and a vein in her forehead popped out as she struggled to control herself.

"Shut up, Aqua! He has no excuse and you know it! You're just blinded by your feelings!"

Aqua's mouth opened, then she shut it, her lip trembling. In the rain, Terra couldn't tell if the water on her face was from the sky or from her eyes. All he knew was that Ven was hurting her, and he couldn't take it anymore.

And neither could someone else.

"THAT IS ENOUGH, VENTUS!" Eraqus boomed, taking control of Terra long enough to get his point across. Aqua and Ven's eyes went wide as saucers.

"How dare you speak to Aqua and Terra like this," Eraqus continued. "If you are upset with Terra's failure to protect Sora, then blame me. I was the one who couldn't keep my own son safe from Xehanort, let alone the selfless boy who offered himself up for Terra."

"Master?" Ven whispered, his face as pale as a ghost's. "Master, is that really you?"

Terra hesitated. _Master, I thought we were going to tell them later._

 _Sorry, Terra. But I could no longer stand by as Ventus spoke to you and Aqua in that manner, especially since he doesn't really mean it. If I had let him continue, he would have said even more things he would regret._

"Yes," Eraqus finally said, as Terra allowed him to speak through him. It was something Xehanort used to do all the time, but this felt different. Terra felt less like someone was trying to hijack his body and more like he was simply the medium through which someone else was speaking.

"You mean, all this time, you were alive?" Aqua said, and Terra nodded. "Master, why didn't you say something?" she asked, her voice filled with anguish. She clasped her hands, thick drops of rain dripping off her hair and face.

"Terra didn't realize what had happened to me until after Xehanort had possessed him. And then you were lost to the realm of darkness, and Ventus to sleep."

Aqua and Ven simply stared at him as the rain continued to fall, cold on their skin and soaking their hair. The mission to find the princesses had all but been forgotten.

"Aqua, Ventus, there are many things I must speak to you about, and I owe you both an apology," Eraqus continued. "Especially you, Ventus. But until the princesses are safe, you must hurry and carry on with your mission. I promise, with Terra's permission, I will talk to you more later."

They nodded, silent and shocked and numb. Aqua was the first to recover. She cast some drying spells on her clothes and hair, and Terra did his best to warm Ven up with one of her blankets.

"Aqua, Terra, I'm sorry," he said. "Master Eraqus was right, I never should have said those terrible things. I… I don't know what got into me."

Terra ruffled Ven's hair, just like he always used to. Water droplets went flying all over his clothes, but he didn't mind. "It's okay, we know you're not yourself right now."

"It doesn't excuse what I said," he said, sighing. "Especially to you, Aqua."

"No, but I appreciate the apology all the same." Aqua pulled a towel out of her pouch and got to work drying his hair.

He frowned, his eyebrows knotting. "How long do you think this will last?"

He brought up a good point. Was this newfound connection to Sora permanent, or was it only a result of recent events?

Aqua pursed her lips. "It's hard to say. You didn't feel anything from Sora before this, did you?"

He shook his head. "No. Not since I left his heart."

"Then your connection was probably reactivated due to the intense emotional and mental trauma Sora went through," Eraqus said through Terra again. "It is doubtful he was conscious of what was happening, but either his heart reached out to yours or yours did to his. Perhaps both."

Ven pulled the blanket tighter around him. "Sora… reached out to me?"

"Of course he did," Aqua said, tying the towel under Ven's chin so it formed a protective little hat. "You're his oldest friend. You've been a part of his life since he was just a baby."

Ven nodded. "Yeah. When my heart was just a bunch of fragmented pieces, he helped me. Now it's my turn to help him."

"That's the spirit," Terra said, standing and offering his hand to pull Ven up.

"I think you've helped him already," Aqua said softly as she tucked her things back into her pouch. "As awful as he must be feeling right now, he still isn't feeling as bad as he could be." She straightened and gave Ven a sad smile.

Ven put a hand over his heart. "You mean… you think I've taken on some of his hurt already? Without even realizing it?"

"Absolutely," Terra said. "Why else would you have been feeling so lousy?"

Ven untied the towel, dried it with an Aero spell, and handed it back to Aqua. "I thought that was just because I could feel what he was feeling. I didn't realize I might be able to transfer some of it onto myself." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I wonder… I wonder how much more I could handle."

Aqua and Terra exchanged nervous glances. "Ven, that's a noble sentiment, but it'll have to wait until after we move the princesses," Aqua said.

"Aqua's right," Terra said. "We need your help, and if something goes wrong and you can't fight, then we'll have an even bigger problem on our hands."

Thankfully, Ven agreed. "I'll wait till we get to Destiny Islands, I promise."

And that was that. They finally set off again in search of the princesses. As important as that conversation had been, Terra wished it could have waited till later. They would be lucky if it didn't cost them the entire mission.

Still, he couldn't deny that things felt better now between the three of them. He thought of their fight on Radiant Garden and how it had torn them apart. They'd fought again today, but this time, he felt closer to them instead of further away.

 _I guess something's changed, after all this time,_ he thought rather ruefully. _We're finally learning how to get to the bottom of our problems before they tear us apart._

It wasn't much, but it was something. Terra clung to that shred of hope as they continued on.

* * *

"The princesses are hiding in here?" Terra stared at the room they'd entered. Various black machines of different shapes and sizes lined the walls. On each of them was a different set of characters and designs. Terra could make out what looked like a soldier battling thousands of insect-like drones on one of them, and colorful ghosts chasing a big yellow face on another.

It was interesting, sure, but where on earth the princesses could hide in here, Terra had no idea.

"Well, not exactly." Aqua strolled over to a machine with a young girl driving a go-kart covered in sweets on it. "These are all electronic games." Her lips moved as she read the writing on it. "Yes, this one's it," she said, nodding. "Are you guys ready?"

"Ready for what?" Ven asked. He pointed to a little slot on the side of the machine with a bright orange button. "If you mean the game, I think you need munny to play it."

"Oh, we won't be playing it," Aqua said. "Not like that, anyway. We're going inside of it."

Ven brightened, and Aqua attempted a smile in return. But what had happened still hung heavy in the air, dragging the mood down with it.

Until Aqua grabbed Terra's hand, and it was like he was a teenager all over again, complete with sweaty palms and racing heart. Eraqus's eyebrows were going to meet his hairline at this rate.

 _You know, Terra, it would make things a lot easier for me if I could just hand the castle over to both you_ and _Aqua._

 _Master!_ Terra knew he was long past the age where getting this flustered was appropriate. When he _had_ been the right age, he'd been obsessed with becoming a Keyblade Master, and then over a decade of his life had been stolen away by Xehanort's schemes. So here he was, a grown man somewhere in his early thirties, reacting like a teenager after Aqua had just grabbed his hand because he had that little experience with romance. Much to Eraqus's complete and utter amusement.

 _I always suspected, but I didn't think it was prudent to say anything,_ Eraqus said, not even bothering to hide the laughter in his voice.

 _You don't seem to have any qualms about it now,_ Terra shot back. _If anything, you've gone soft, Master._

Eraqus sighed. _You and Aqua have lost too much time together as it is. Forgive an old father for wanting happiness for his children._

Ven took Aqua's other hand, and she counted to three. They shrank down, down, down, then a ray of light shot out of the game and pulled them inside. Code flashed by as they entered the world of the game, and just like that, they were next to the stands of an enormous racetrack.

Terra had never seen anything like it. The entire thing looked as if it had been made out of sweets and candy. Dozens of candy-covered go-karts rushed past on a golden road, their racers each wearing sweets-themed hats and clothing and goggles. The finish line was red and white checkers with a lollipop archway overhead, and resting on top of the archway was an enormous butterscotch trophy.

"Woah," Ven said. "What is this place?" He stared after one of the go-karts as it whizzed by in wonder.

"Sugar Rush," Aqua said, placing her hand on Ven's shoulder. "Sorry, Ven. No racing today. We need to find Pri-I mean, President Vanellope. The princesses are staying with her."

Thankfully, it didn't take long for the president to find them instead. But when Aqua had mentioned a president, Terra hadn't quite expected, well, the girl before them now. Her dark hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and studded with candies, and she wore a green hoodie and matching pants.

 _She can't be older than ten. How did someone as young as her become president?_

Then it all clicked. Her picture was the one that was on that game they'd seen in the arcade. Of course she was the president.

"Hey, Aqua, good to see you again!" she said. "What's up? Entered any races lately? No one's beat your record except for me. My citizens would love to see you race again. What do you say?"

Aqua shook her head. "Actually, we're here to—"

Vanellope poked Terra, a sly grin on her face. "Looks like you brought your boyfriend so I could finally meet him, huh? Is he gonna race too?"

Aqua's face flushed. "P-President Vanellope!" she sputtered. "We're here for the princesses. We don't have any time for racing. We have reason to believe they're in danger."

Vanellope frowned. "In danger? What happened?"

"One of our own was captured. Do you remember Lea? The man with red hair?"

Vanellope nodded. "Your cover's blown. Better get the princesses outta here, and quick. C'mon, this way."

Vanellope lived in a lavish candy castle. She led them through its colorful rooms and decorated hallways till they reached a grand room filled with candy-cane seats. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she showed them a barely-visible door in the wall. They went through it and followed her down a steep staircase, descending lower and lower underground. Terra frowned. Had the princesses been stuck down here this entire time?

Presently they emerged inside a great cavern made out of… chocolate? Yes, as it turned out, Vanellope had an entire secret cavern under her castle made of chocolate. Dark chocolate spikes stuck up from the ground to meet milk chocolate ones growing from the ceiling. Sprinkles and gumdrops dotted the landscape, and a pool made from white chocolate oozed and bubbled nearby.

"Over there," Vanellope said, pointing to an offshoot of the main cavern. "I better go warn my friend Ralph. The bad guys could be here any minute."

Aqua led the way, and Terra brought up the rear. The passage was narrow and low, and Terra had to squat to go through it. Just when his back was starting to ache, the roof became higher again and he heard a voice off to the left.

"There you are."

Terra's heart froze. _Oh no, that's—_

They rounded the corner, and Xigbar and Xaldin were there. The princesses had barricaded themselves behind a barrier of light that shimmered in the air, preventing Xigbar and Xaldin from coming any closer, but who knows how much longer it would hold out.

"Aqua! Is that really you?" Cinderella called. Her face had lit up at the sight of Aqua, and the other princesses cheered up considerably.

"Get away from the princesses!" Aqua summoned her Keyblade and charged.

"Easy there, sweetheart." Xigbar barely managed to block her attack in time. "Close quarters isn't really my forte."

Xaldin hurled his lances at Terra, and Terra knocked them out of the way and dove at him.

 _We have to get the princesses out of here._

"Aqua, make an opening to the Lanes Between!" he shouted.

"In here?!"

"I don't think so," Xigbar said, using his arrow guns to try to pin her to the wall. "You aren't going anywhere, and we're not leaving till we have what we came for."

Terra looked up. Chocolate stalactites dotted the ceiling, and a reckless plan formed in his head.

"One step ahead of you!" Ven threw his Keyblade at the ceiling, and Terra concentrated on the stalagmites sticking up from the ground around them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aqua cartwheel around Xigbar and move closer to the princesses.

Xigbar and Xaldin looked up a moment too late. Terra summoned great chunks of chocolate from the ground right as the stalactites came crashing down on top of all of them. A swirling portal to one of the Lanes Between opened up, and Aqua went through it with the princesses in tow just in the nick of time, sealing it after her. Good. At least something had gone right today.

The rest of them were trapped underneath enormous chunks of chocolate. Terra couldn't see Ven and his left leg was stuck. Well, more like everything was stuck, but his leg was hurting, so it got top priority.

"Ven?" he called. "Ven, where are you?"

Ven groaned. "I'm here." He lifted a hand in the air to prove his location.

"You didn't think that through, did you?" came Xaldin's muffled voice. "No matter, we will find the princesses in the end." His grunts as he tried to free himself carried over, and Terra knew he had to get free first.

He held out his hand. Flames materialized in the air above it, and with a sigh he realized it was dark fire.

 _Xehanort's gone, but the darkness is still there. I have to do something about that._

He held the flame to the chocolate on his leg, hoping to melt it. The surface of the chocolate began to ooze and bubble, and he tested his leg. Still couldn't move it yet.

Xigbar finally came to. "Sheesh, you are one disorganized bunch. I don't know why Xehanort's so worried. Between your little performance just now and Sora's stupid stunt, I don't know how you manage to—"

" _SHUT UP!"_ Ven burst free from the chocolate imprisoning him. His whole body was shaking, and if looks could kill, Xigbar would have been dead on the spot.

Xigbar simply laughed. "Oh, did I piss you off? You can glare at me all you want, Ventus, but it doesn't change the truth. Sora's an idiot, and you're not much better."

"Don't you dare talk about Sora like that!"

Terra tested his leg again. He could move it now. With a great effort he lifted it up through the chocolate. He glanced at Ven, who was trudging through the chocolate piled all over the ground towards Xigbar. The latter was still trapped under the rubble, and Terra couldn't see Xaldin.

"You should have seen his face when we tortured him," Xigbar said, and Ven froze.

"Ven, don't listen to him," Terra warned. Xigbar's taunts were meant to get a reaction, and the best thing to do was to stay calm. Terra healed his leg as best as he could and turned his attention to the rest of the rubble trapping him.

"He was all weepy 'cause he thought you guys had abandoned him."

"We would never abandon him!" Ven cried. He swung his Keyblade at Xigbar's face. One of Xaldin's lances went whistling through the air and knocked his hand back before the Keyblade could connect, and Terra broke through the remaining rubble.

"Ven, we need to get out of here," he said, picking his way over the remaining rubble towards him.

"You should have heard his screams as we broke his heart, piece by piece," Xaldin said, elevating his lances into the air. "A piece for your broken heart, Ventus, a piece for Terra's loss, a piece for Aqua's despair…"

Terra's blood ran cold. His mind worked too quickly and put all the pieces together. He knew exactly how Xehanort had broken Sora now. His earlier advice had all but been forgotten. If Ven didn't do it, he would kill Xigbar and Xaldin himself.

He felt more than saw the dark aura swirling around him. Eraqus's warnings inside his head went unheeded. All he could see were the two men in front of him, the two murderers gloating about destroying the biggest, kindest heart he had ever met, and he couldn't take it anymore.

They were going to pay. They were going to suffer for what they had done.

The wall across from them rumbled. Everyone's attention was drawn to the sound just in time for two enormous fists to break through.

"Need a hand?"

A large man wearing a pair of brown overalls and an orange shirt burst through the former wall, sending chocolate chunks flying. President Vanellope was perched on his shoulder. She took one look at Xaldin and Xigbar and glared.

"Get 'em, Ralph!" she shouted. Ralph made quick work of all of the rubble, blazing a path towards his targets. Xaldin and Xigbar took one look at Ralph's destructive power, summoned Corridors of Darkness, and disappeared.

"Cowards!" Vanellope yelled after them. She hopped off Ralph's shoulder and ran to Ven. "Are you okay? Where's Aqua? Where are the princesses?"

Ven staggered to his feet. "She got them out. They'll be okay."

Vanellope sighed and collapsed in a pile on the ground. "Thank goodness."

Terra put his face in his hands, reason making its indignant return after being pushed to the side in the face of blind rage. _I'm doing it again. The darkness still has a hold on my heart, Master._

Eraqus's voice was grim. _Truth be told, Terra, I was about ready to go after them myself. But we must find a way for you to control your darkness before it takes control of you again._

 _I know._ Terra looked up, only to see that Ralph was staring at him. The man frowned, his big bushy eyebrows nearly coming together to form one large unibrow.

"Are you alright, uh…"

"Terra. My name's Terra." He offered his hand, and Ralph shook it. "Thank you for coming, Ralph. If you hadn't, I don't know what I would have done."

Ralph gave him an understanding look. "Don't mention it."

Vanellope sat up in the most dramatic manner possible, and Ralph went over to her. "Felix is gonna hafta come fix all this," she said, eyeing the ruined cavern and sighing.

"He won't mind," Ralph said. "I'll tell him to come over tomorrow after closing time."

Vanellope brightened at the prospect, then turned to Terra and Ven. "You two better get going. Aqua's waiting for you, right?"

They both nodded.

"Thank you, President Vanellope, for all your help," Terra said.

She waved her hands in the air. "Don't mention it. It's the least I can do. Tell Aqua to drop by whenever she wants. She still owes me a rematch."

And with that, it was time to go. Ven said nothing as they traveled through the Lanes Between. Xigbar and Xaldin's words still hung heavy over both of them. But there was something Terra needed to talk to him about before they saw Aqua again. He urged his glider forward so he and Ven were right next to each other. Still, the noise the gliders made was loud enough that he had to raise his voice to be heard.

"Ven, don't… don't tell anyone else what Xigbar and Xaldin told us."

Ven turned his armored head. "Not even Aqua?"

"Especially not Aqua. It's bad enough that we know. Sora wouldn't want her to know, too. What he went through… I get the feeling it's not something he wanted any of us to know."

Terra understood. There were a lot of things from his own time spent under Xehanort's tyrannical rule that he never wanted Aqua and Ven to know. They couldn't change what had happened, and it would only make them sad about something they had no control over.

When they went through the portal to Master Yen Sid's world and emerged inside a peaceful forest filled with oak trees, Aqua was waiting for them on a nearby moss-covered boulder, along with the princesses.

"Terra! It really is you!" Cinderella cried, striding over and taking his hands in hers. "Thank goodness you're here, and Ventus too!"

Terra bowed low. "At your service, ma'am."

The other princesses greeted them afterwards. He'd met Snow White and Aurora before, but it was the first time he'd seen the princesses known as Belle, Jasmine, and Alice. Seeing Aurora again brought a stab of guilt. The last time he'd seen her, Maleficent had forced him to take out her heart. He wondered if she remembered what had happened.

"Can we go home yet?" Alice asked, her face hopeful. "We've done all sorts of exploring, we've had all kinds of adventures. President Vanellope was a lovely host, but I am frightfully overdue to go home."

"Yes, I'm worried about my husband Philip. He doesn't do well when I'm gone for too long," Aurora said. Cinderella, Snow White, and Belle all nodded and mentioned their own loved ones. Terra felt even worse about keeping them away from home.

"Actually," Ven said, rubbing the back of his neck, "we brought you here because you're still in danger. Xehanort found out where you were hiding, so we had to move you somewhere else."

Jasmine put her hand on Ven's shoulder. "Our worlds need us. Our families need us. Please, let us go home."

Terra was reminded of how badly he'd wanted to see Aqua and Ven, and he was half-inclined to take all of the princesses home as they had requested. But Aqua held firm.

"We'd love to, but if we take you back now, Xehanort will just try to kidnap you again. I'm sorry, but we can't let you go home yet," she said.

"Isn't there something we can do, then?" Belle asked. "Kairi is out there fighting, and the games in that arcade were our only connection to the outside worlds. We've done what we can to protect the light from there, but it doesn't feel right for us to keep hiding."

Snow White nodded. "We held back the darkness at Hollow Bastion. Surely we can work together and use our abilities against Xehanort."

The other princesses murmured their agreement.

"There is something you can do."

"Terra?" Aqua and Ven both turned to him, questions on their faces.

"Very soon, we'll have to fight Xehanort. There's a prophecy that says light will expire and darkness prevail, and Xehanort wants to make it come true." He'd based his entire plan on it, even. But who could say what it really meant.

"We can't let it come true," Terra continued. "The light in your hearts is sustaining the worlds. If anything happens to you, they'll fall to darkness."

"Yes, but I don't see how hiding away is the answer," Belle said.

Aqua took Terra's hand in hers. Warmth radiated up Terra's arm at the show of support.

"Maybe… maybe you can do something to strengthen the barriers protecting the worlds," she said. The princesses all agreed to this with a great deal of enthusiasm.

Aurora spoke up. "But what about Kairi? Don't we need her to succeed? Our powers are most effective when our number is complete."

Aqua's expression softened. "It's true, but right now Sora really needs her. He sacrificed everything to save us, and until his heart's mended, it's better if she stays with him," she said, her voice quiet.

Ven closed his eyes. "Yeah. Separating them will only hurt him worse. He's despairing enough as it is."

"Sora got hurt again?" Alice asked, and the three of them nodded. The princesses' faces fell. An air of solemnity had descended on everyone, and no one spoke for a long moment. Terra's thoughts kept going back to what Xigbar and Xaldin had said, and it was with a great effort that he contained the storm brewing inside of him.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Snow White finally asked. "Anything at all?"

"Let Kairi stay with him until his heart has healed. Then she can go on your mission with you," Aqua said.

"And until then, you'll have to stay here in this new hiding spot," Terra said.

"We understand," Jasmine said. "Sora's the key to everything, and that means his wellbeing comes first."

The other princesses nodded their agreement. They finalized their plans after that. They would go into hiding one more time until Kairi was ready to join them, then perhaps Merlin and maybe even Master Yen Sid would take them around to strengthen the light barriers protecting the worlds as the rest of them made their final preparations.

For once their luck held out. None of Xehanort's people showed up, and they rendezvoused with Master Yen Sid without incident. Terra allowed himself to think that maybe, just maybe, things would get better from here on out.

It was time to go to Destiny Islands, to where Sora waited for them. Terra could only hope they would be able to help him.

* * *

A/N: Eraqus has really taken on a life of his own as I've been writing this story, and that included wanting to comment on what was going on around Terra. So I thought sure, why not? and decided to let him go for it. The Wayfinder Trio in general has been a lot of fun to write, too, so I wanted to spend some time focusing on them. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, thank you for reading!


	22. Chapter 22 - Honesty

Chapter 22 – Honesty

After arriving on Destiny Islands, finding the local resort, and explaining to the front desk that no, they wanted a suite with two rooms, not one, and no, Ven was not, in fact, their actual son, Aqua had about had it. It wasn't that she _minded_ that the receptionist thought they were a family, it was just that she wanted to pass out on a bed right now, and the longer she had to wait before that happened, the crankier she became.

At last they had their rooms. Ven was out as soon as his head hit the pillow. He had been quiet the whole way here, either because he was tired or because what Sora had been through was still weighing on him. Perhaps both.

Terra plopped his stuff on the other bed, and Aqua made her way over to the smaller bedroom. Her room smelled like pineapple and coconuts, and all the decor either had one or the other on it, as well as a third, star-shaped citrus fruit.

 _Paopu fruit, huh._ Well, Destiny Islands was famous for it. She still hadn't ever gotten to try any for herself, but maybe that would change this time around.

The sound of running water reached her ears and she sighed. _I really should take a shower, too._ She was gross and smelly and sweaty, and the thought of trying to sleep like that was not appealing. So she stripped down to her tank top and shorts and waited for Terra to finish in the bathroom.

But then hunger gnawed at her stomach, and she popped up to check the mini fridge in the kitchenette for food. There were only bottled drinks inside with labels slapped on them saying how much munny they cost.

"400 munny for a bottle of water? Is that a joke? What a rip-off."

"Are you thirsty?" Terra called. Oh good, he must be finished with his shower, then. That meant she could take hers now. So long as she stayed busy, she wouldn't have time to think about what had happened. Her head wasn't hitting the pillow until she knew she would fall asleep within moments. Thinking still just hurt too much.

"More like hungry," she said, replacing the offending bottle in the mini fridge and shutting the door. "Just checking to see if there was any—"

Aqua froze. Terra wasn't wearing a shirt. He'd slipped into a pair of the resort's gray sweatpants and was drying his hair with a fluffy towel, little water droplets dripping off of it and running down his neck. It was with great difficulty that she tore her eyes away from his chest and forced herself to look up at his face.

 _Well, of course he doesn't sleep with a shirt on. He never did before. Why would that change now?_

A dark voice in the back of her mind whispered, _Those muscles haven't changed either,_ and she felt the heat creep up her cheeks at the uninvited thought.

She couldn't fault Terra or his current (lack of) clothes for being such a distraction. Her own attire was hardly what could be called modest, either. Growing up she'd been careful to look presentable at all times, but after wandering in the realm of darkness for so long, she'd stopped caring. Ven had seen her in her current outfit on multiple occasions and neither of them had been particularly bothered by it.

 _Then why is this different?_ She crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly very conscious of her own body.

 _You know perfectly well why._ The voice taunting her in the back of her head sounded suspiciously like the Phantom Aqua's.

Her eyes wandered back to his chest and dared to travel lower. What would it feel like to—

"Do you want to get something to eat?" he asked, and she snapped her eyes back up to meet his, ashamed she'd let herself get so carried away. "There's a restaurant downstairs, or we could always order room service."

"Mmm, room service is too pricey, and Ven's asleep. It's okay, I can just wait till morning." Anything to excuse herself from this conversation. It was taking a lot more self-control than she currently possessed to keep her focus on Terra's face and not his body.

"He'll be fine." Terra paused, as if he was trying to decide to tell her something. "Actually, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Oh, those words did not bode well. They did not bode well at all. But clearly, it was something he wanted to talk to her about without Ven there, and who knew when they'd have the chance again.

"Okay, but I want to take a shower first." She was not about to go to a nice restaurant in her current state.

The hot water didn't do a very good job of cooling her down. Try as she might, she couldn't get the image of Terra drying his hair, the muscles rippling in his arms and chest, out of her mind. Groaning in frustration, she attacked her own sudsy hair with a vengeance, scrubbing it like it had personally offended her.

She turned the faucet off. Oh heavens, was _that_ what he wanted to talk about? She hadn't tried to hide her feelings, and Ven certainly hadn't helped her case, but at the same time, she wasn't sure she was quite ready to have that particular conversation. Not after everything that had happened. Even just the thought of navigating such delicate territory after the blow Sora's suffering had dealt them all made her exhausted.

And besides, even if she were ready, they were on the cusp of a huge battle, and they couldn't focus on anything but that. Not when Sora was still hurting. Not when they'd lost Lea. Not when Kairi's life was still in danger.

She sighed. _I'm being selfish again. I don't have time for this. I need to focus on the upcoming battle._

 _And that's why you lost him the first time,_ the Phantom's voice shot back. _Tell me, Aqua, when are you going to stop running away from your own heart?_

 _I'm not running. I'm just doing what has to be done. I can think about the rest afterwards._

 _What if there_ is _no afterwards? Are you really going to give up what may be your final chance to be with him?_

 _I… I don't even know that he feels the same way._

 _That's a lie and you know it._

Aqua bristled. _After what Sora went through to save him, it doesn't feel right! How could I be so selfish? Terra wouldn't even be here if it weren't for him. I don't want this, not when Sora's heart was the cost._

 _Excuses, excuses. Did you ever stop and think about why Sora handed himself over? Maybe you reminded him of when he was pining after Kairi, hoping to be reunited with her. He didn't want you to go through that anymore, and now you're just throwing away the gift he gave you._

Aqua groaned and shut off the water again. She was better off stumbling her way around Terra than being left alone with her own thoughts.

She threw on an oversized tie-dye t-shirt that said _Destiny Islands Resort_ on it in big, bold letters and slipped into a pair of sweatpants with the same font plastered on the leg. Not the kind of clothes she would normally choose, but at least they were comfortable.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she took a deep breath.

"You can do this, Aqua. Just… be honest."

She nodded. That was all she had to do. No more, no less.

* * *

 _You're nervous,_ Eraqus said.

 _Well, yes. This is something I've been meaning to tell her for years._

 _She deserves to hear it, even if she already knows._

 _I know._

Terra cleared his throat, and Aqua paused with a spoonful of tropical fried rice halfway to her mouth. The ocean breeze tugged at her damp hair, and even in her baggy resort clothes she looked beautiful.

In any other situation this would have made for a great date. The restaurant under the stars, the fruity drinks with their little paper umbrellas, the Christmas lights strung all around the patio casting a warm glow over everything – the whole atmosphere screamed romantic getaway.

But that wasn't why Terra was here. That wasn't why either of them were here. This wasn't a romantic getaway, this was the two of them exhausted and hungry and trying to put the pieces back together after a dear friend had put everything on the line for them.

He swallowed. It was now or never. "Aqua, there's something I have to tell you," he said. She set her spoon down and sat up straighter.

"Yes?"

"It's something I should have told you a long time ago."

Aqua paused, and when she spoke again, her voice was very deliberate. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry I waited so long. There just wasn't a good time to tell you until now."

"...Yes?"

"Aqua…"

She leaned forward, her hands clutching the edge of the bamboo table, and he took a deep breath. "Aqua, I wanted to say thank you for saving me."

A strange mixture of emotions warred on her face. Terra thought he spotted disappointment somewhere amongst them, though what she had to be disappointed about, he had no idea.

She was silent for a moment, then gave him a sad smile. "Well, I couldn't just let you be lost to the darkness. Not when I knew I could do something about it."

"And what you did cost you everything. I'm sorry, Aqua. I never wanted you to sacrifice yourself for me."

Why did the people around him always have to pay the price for his mistakes? It wasn't fair.

She put her hand on his, her voice soft. "Terra, I have a lot of regrets, but saving you isn't one of them."

His heart thudded in his chest, and he leaned closer. "Why not?"

She leaned closer, too. "I… I would do anything to keep you safe." Her face flushed at her words, and she ducked her eyes to avoid his gaze.

He gave her hand a squeeze. "I understand. I feel the same way about you." He waited for her to say something else. But she was silent, and he knew not to push it any further. Not tonight, at least. Not after everything that had happened.

He released her hand. _How selfish am I, for even thinking about wanting to be with her at a time like this?_ The guilt settled around his heart again and put a damper on the rest of the meal, even while they tried to talk about everything but what was really bothering them.

Afterwards, when they were back up in their suite again, he watched her retreating form and sighed.

 _You know, Terra, I think you handled that very well,_ Eraqus said.

 _Thanks for the commentary, Master. Am I going to get a grade, too?_

There was a pause. _Well, if you insist. I give you a B+._

Terra groaned. _Do I even want to know why I got points docked off?_

 _I think you already know the answer to that._

Terra chose to ignore that particular jab and focused on something else. _Don't forget, Master. You really do need to talk to Aqua and Ven._

Eraqus sighed. _I know. I will. But if it's possible, I'd prefer to speak with them directly._

 _How do you propose we do that?_

 _Sora isn't the only one who has the power to dive into hearts. Riku took Kairi inside of Sora's heart, did he not?_

 _Yes. I'm guessing you want him to do the same for my heart, but this time with Aqua and Ven? That way you can talk to them._

 _Yes._

 _Alright. I'll ask him tomorrow._

 _Thank you, Terra._

* * *

Riku lived in a house on the edge of the street. It was two stories with cream-colored paint and a dark brown rooftop. The shutters were the same rich color, and an elegant white-picket fence enclosed the yard. On the porch hung one of those big swings meant to hold several people at once.

Ven thought it looked like the perfect sort of place to raise a family. Idyllic, calm, cozy – it was very different from the enormous castle where he'd lived with Terra and Aqua and Master Eraqus.

Riku answered the door. He looked pretty tired, despite the time he'd had to rest. His eyes brightened at the sight of them though.

"That was fast," he said, gesturing to them to come in. "Are the princesses safe?"

Aqua nodded and followed him inside. "Yes. We were able to hide them again. We got in last night."

His shoulders relaxed. "Good. Not much has happened since I last saw you. Donald and Goofy are guarding Kairi, and Sora hasn't left his house." He rubbed his neck and sighed. "He still hasn't talked to me or Kairi. Donald and Goofy just said to give it time, but I don't know if that's good enough."

He pointed to where a row of shoes of several different sizes lined the wall and stepped up into the house, and the rest of them took theirs off and followed after him.

"I'd like to talk to him," Terra said, as Riku led the way into the living room. He sat on the comfy-looking checkered couch in the corner, and Aqua joined him. After another moment, Ven plopped down next to her and sank into the soft cushions.

"I need to talk to him, too," Ven said. "One or both of us reactivated the link between us, and if there's anything I can do to help, I want to."

It was the least he could do, after Sora had shielded his heart for so long. After he'd gone to such lengths to save him and his friends. Ven hadn't told Terra and Aqua, but early this morning, before either of them had woken up, he'd tested the connection again. It didn't feel right to access Sora's memories without his permission, but the raw pain that swirled within him – that he could do something about.

It hurt, but he'd funneled as much of it as he could onto himself, hoping to provide Sora with some sort of relief. He just had to be careful he didn't overdo it. Yesterday's outburst had been a disaster he didn't want to repeat.

Riku briefly disappeared into the kitchen before reemerging with a pitcher of green tea and several cups. He poured them each a glass, then settled into the chair across from them.

"Donald and Goofy might have beat you to it, actually," he said, pausing to take a swig of his tea. "They wouldn't tell me the details, but they said Sora did share some of what he'd been through with them."

That got Aqua's attention. "He did? That's huge. He might be starting to heal already."

She was right. Sora was never one to stay down in the dumps, but not even he could just pop back up after what he'd been through. Still, it was good to hear he was at least trying. The only thing that would make this entire situation worse was if he gave into despair.

"All the same, if there's anything we can do to help, let us know," Ven said.

Riku gave them a lopsided grin. "Sure thing. How about you guys? Anything I can help you with? My parents are at work, my student's gone, and my best friend doesn't want to talk to me, so I have a lot more free time on my hands than usual."

Terra explained his plan. He'd shared it with Ven and Aqua this morning, and they'd both agreed to it. It still felt unreal, that Eraqus was alive, that he'd been taking refuge inside of Terra's heart all this time. As much as Ven wanted to see him again, he couldn't forget their last meeting. What would he even begin to say when he saw him again?

"Hold on, Eraqus is alive?" Riku set his glass down, his eyes holding an intensity that made it impossible to look away. "Terra, why didn't you say anything about this before?"

 _Yeah, Terra, why did you wait until yesterday to tell us?_ Aqua likewise looked at Terra and raised her eyebrow, and Terra squirmed.

"There wasn't time. Saving Sora came first."

"But don't you see?" Riku said. "This could change everything. Eraqus was friends with Xehanort, right? That means he knows him better than any of us. If anyone could figure out a way to defeat him, it's his former friend." Riku paused and considered something. "Well, and you too, of course. He was inside your head for years, after all."

Terra smiled wryly. "We're one step ahead of you. Eraqus has a plan that he hasn't even told me yet. He didn't want Xehanort finding out about it. But first he wants to talk to Aqua and Ven."

"Fair enough," Riku said. He instructed them to hold hands and close their eyes. Aqua seemed more than happy to hold Terra's hand, an observation that made Ven grin.

When he opened his eyes again, the four of them were falling. A dark mist surrounded them, but it wasn't cold or unpleasant. All around them images swirled by – no, not images, memories. There was one from when Terra had gotten his Keyblade, and another from his birthday party, and another from that time he'd knocked over—

"Try touching one of them," Riku said. Aqua was the first to do as he suggested, and the memories began to change. Each one was surrounded by a soft, warm glow.

The time he'd brought her flowers, after her parents had died. Their promise to become Keyblade Masters together. The moment she'd saved him from the realm of darkness. Their hug when they'd been reunited.

She briefly glanced at Terra, and his smile was almost shy. Ven had to stifle his laughter. Could they be any more obvious?

Oh yes, yes they could. When they landed on a smooth platform, an image of Terra was etched into it. So was Aqua, and Ven and Eraqus were there too, but her picture was the second biggest after Terra's.

 _If she didn't know before, Terra, she sure does now._

A variety of elaborate designs were also included, and he thought he spotted Terra's Wayfinder among them. But other than that, nothing. No sign of Eraqus.

"So, um, where's Master Eraqus?" Ven asked.

Riku glanced around them. "Not sure. Sometimes it takes a little while to find the person you're looking for. You guys go on ahead. I think this is a conversation Eraqus wants to have with just the three of you."

They did find him, when Terra accessed his memories of home. Eraqus was waiting for them in the courtyard, the stars shining brilliantly in the night sky up above. Maybe it was because he no longer had a body that could age, but he didn't look a day older than when they'd last seen him.

Ven swallowed the lump in his throat. He'd never expected to see him again, even if he was just a shadow of his former self. The memories from that terrible day came back all at once, of Eraqus trying to strike him down, of Terra swooping in and saving him. If Ven could pinpoint a moment when everything had taken an irrevocable turn for the worse, that was it.

If only things had gone differently. In the end Ven had had to do to himself what Eraqus had wanted to do all along. Could he really fault his master for trying to do the right thing, even if the way he'd gone about it was so terrible?

He didn't want to be angry at Eraqus, not after all this time, but he was. His memories from before his separation from Vanitas were spotty at best, but he remembered enough to know that Xehanort had treated him terribly. He'd put his goals above his own student's safety. For Eraqus to do the same was a cruel way to reopen that old wound.

After all the time Ven had spent inside Sora's heart, he found himself feeling, if not like a father, then at least like an older brother to Sora. The thought of ever doing to Sora what Eraqus had done to him was unthinkable. Nor could he imagine what would possess anyone to even think about hurting someone in their care, let alone making an attempt on their life.

But that side of him was at war with the side that wanted to forgive Eraqus, that loved him and looked up to him and wanted the closest thing he had to a father back in his life. Eraqus's survival was a miracle and he should be grateful. And he was, but there was so much more to what he was feeling than that. It was all too complicated to put into words, so he said nothing.

Neither did anyone else. The four of them stared at each other, unsure of what to say or who should say it.

The silence dragged on for what seemed like ages, and finally Ven couldn't take it anymore. He took a deep breath and spoke. "Master, I—"

Eraqus didn't wait to hear the rest. He strode over and, in a gesture very uncharacteristic of his usual demeanor, wrapped his arms around Ven and pulled him close.

"Ventus, my son, forgive me."

Ven was shocked speechless. He'd expected an apology, but he hadn't expected this. All of his composure fell apart as he lost it completely. He began to sob, his whole body shaking in Eraqus's arms. Years of wondering why things had happened the way they did, of wondering if something was wrong with him, of wondering why his master hated him so much that he would try to kill him, washed over him all at once, only to be replaced by the reassurance that no, nothing was wrong with him, and no, his master didn't hate him. Not at all.

It was with more emotion than he'd ever heard in his master's voice that Eraqus continued to speak. "I was blinded by my obsession with the light. How can I even call myself a master when I deemed it acceptable to strike down one of my own students? I have failed you, Ventus, and for that I am truly sorry."

"You were trying to do what you thought was right," Ven choked out. It was what he'd told himself, over and over, when that moment had haunted him.

Eraqus pulled away to look him in the eye, and there were tears in his eyes, too. "That doesn't make what I did in any way acceptable. Terra had every right to stop me, and you have every right to tell me you never want to see me again."

Ven threw his arms around Eraqus. "As if I ever would. I-I'm glad you're alive, Master."

Eraqus's arms went back around him. "If for no other reason than I could finally apologize to you and Aqua, then I'm glad I am, too."

They stayed like that for a moment, but then Eraqus let go. He still wanted to apologize to Aqua.

"Aqua," he said, regarding her with a mixture of pride and sadness, "my brave, selfless daughter, loyal to the end, always doing whatever I asked of you without complaint. I asked you to keep an eye on Terra, and now I can see my request did nothing but sow discord between the two of you. I might as well have told you to spy on him for me. I'm sorry for putting you into such a position in the first place."

Aqua's eyes were misty, too. "I forgive you, Master. I'm just glad you're still alive. All this time, I thought you were gone, and now—" She paused and summoned a Keyblade. Not her Keyblade; no, Eraqus's Keyblade. The Keyblade she'd kept safe for him all this time. She offered it to him, but he simply shook his head and closed her hands over it.

"Aqua, in my current form it will be of no use to me. You have done well to keep it safe, and I want you to continue to do so until I can use it again."

Her lip trembled, but she managed a smile, too. "Of course."

Eraqus addressed Terra next. "You told them we have a plan, correct?"

Terra nodded.

"Summon Riku. He should be here for this, too. It's time I told you about the prophecy."


	23. Chapter 23 - Mending

Chapter 23 – Mending

Terra had thought long and hard about all the things he wanted to say. He'd even run it past Ven and Aqua to get their input. But standing at the door of Sora's house, in front of the very person who had sacrificed himself to save him, he was completely tongue-tied. All his carefully planned words fled his mind and left him speechless. Sora was similarly quiet, various emotions warring on his face.

"Aqua made you some chocolate chip cookies," Terra finally said, offering a small bag of them to Sora. "She took over Riku's kitchen for a couple hours to make them." He pulled one of the cookies out of the bag and began munching on it. "It's been ages since I've had her cooking. She's good. Here, try one."

Sora stared at the outstretched bag. "Tell her thanks, but I'm not really hungry." He started to close the door, but Terra stopped him, grabbing a hold of it and refusing to let go.

"Sora, wait. I need to talk to you."

Sora gripped his hand and tried to pry it off the door. He was stronger than he looked; not as strong as Terra, of course, but there was real strength behind his grip that belied his size.

"There's nothing you can say that will change what happened, Terra."

Maybe not, but there was something Terra could say that might change how Sora saw the whole thing.

"Thank you."

Sora's eyes went wide, his mouth dropping open. "What?"

"I said, thank you. Thank you for saving me."

"But I—"

"It's true, I was fighting back against Xehanort. And Aqua and Ven probably would have set me free, had they faced me the way you all had originally planned."

He and Eraqus had been counting on that for years. They both knew seeing Aqua and Ven at the same time would give Terra the last bit of strength he needed to break free. But things had never come to that, because Sora had intervened instead.

"So you're saying I made everything worse?" Sora's eyes flashed. "Thanks for telling me what I already knew." He started to close the door again, and Terra had to wedge his foot in it to stop him.

"I'm not finished. Hear me out. You were right to worry about the risk to the Guardians of Light. Even if Aqua and Ven had set me free, they probably would have gotten hurt or captured, or if not them, then your other friends. You didn't want that to happen, did you?"

Sora shook his head. It was just like Terra had suspected. He and Sora had more in common then he'd originally thought.

"To protect them, you took it all on yourself instead," Terra continued. "You broke me out of my imprisonment and bore the cost of my freedom alone."

Sora said nothing, and Terra knew what he had to do. Words alone weren't good enough. Lowering himself to his knees, he touched his head to the ground at Sora's feet. "Sora, thank you. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for protecting my friends."

When he glanced up, Sora's eyes were misting over. "Terra, I—"

But Terra wasn't finished yet. He straightened and looked Sora in the eye. "There's only one other person who's done something that brave and selfless for me." He paused to smile. "She sees a lot of herself in you, you know."

In a way, Terra supposed they all did. But Aqua's selflessness, her sacrifice, was something Terra aspired to, something that had been a part of Sora all along.

Sora's hands fell to his sides, his gaze lowering to the ground. "I don't deserve the comparison." His hands balled into fists. "She never would have let something like this happen."

"And I never wanted you to go through it," Terra said. "I wanted to spare you all that suffering. I… I tried to find Aqua and Ven and warn them." He put his head in his hands. "But I failed. I failed you. That's why I was angry, when you came for me. I wasn't angry at you, I was angry at myself."

Something flickered in Sora's eyes. He was still fragile, too fragile; on the verge of breaking all over again. But Terra knew he couldn't let him become an empty husk.

"You aren't a failure, Terra," Sora finally said. He offered his hand and pulled Terra up. The skin on his wrists and arms was covered in ugly-looking welts and bruises, and he winced at Terra's grip.

 _Why… why hasn't he healed himself yet?_ The injuries weren't serious. Even Terra, whose natural talents didn't really lie in magic, could heal something like this. Sora was a much better mage than he was. Not as good as Aqua, perhaps, but this was well within the range of his abilities.

But Terra knew better than to say something about it. If Sora hadn't healed himself yet, it was because he didn't want to, as sad as that thought was. So Terra settled for telling him something else instead.

"Neither are you. Whatever Xehanort told you, you aren't a failure."

Sora gave him a look. "You never hurt Aqua and Ven the way I hurt Riku and Kairi."

"You're wrong. I choked Aqua and fought her. Then Xehanort used me to bring untold suffering to countless worlds. I've got more blood on my hands than you ever will. You didn't even kill Riku and Kairi, and I'm responsible for the suffering of thousands, no, millions of people."

Sora's expression darkened. "That isn't true. That wasn't you. I've talked to Aqua and Ven enough to know you wouldn't do any of that."

And that's where Terra knew he had Sora. "Listen to yourself. You're willing to give me a pass for all of that, but you won't even forgive yourself for hurting Riku and Kairi when they already have."

Sora gave him a wry smile. "It's easier to forgive other people than it is to forgive myself."

"But the forgiveness you need the most right now is your own. Trust me, Sora, I know."

Aqua and Ven's forgiveness had lifted a huge weight off his shoulders, but it was still easy to slide back into his old patterns of self-loathing. He'd hated the darkness in his heart before, so hating himself for what it had led to came easily.

But a heart filled with hatred, even if it was directed inwardly, was not much of a heart at all. That much he knew. He couldn't let his heart become like that, let alone Sora's.

"Yeah." There was a long, awkward silence until Sora cleared his throat. "Look, my mom wouldn't want a guest to just stand around outside." He opened the door wide. "Come in, if you want. Just… don't forget to take off your shoes."

Terra did as he requested, leaving his shoes in the low entry area before stepping up into the rest of the house.

It was much smaller than the castle Terra had grown up in. He caught a glimpse of a narrow hallway with two closed doors, but Sora led him past a steep staircase and through the living room into the kitchen. It was cozy and comfortable, just enough room for the stove, sink, cabinets, and kitchen table. They sat at it, a simple but sturdy affair made from wood. The chairs were slightly too small for Terra, but he made do.

In the corner was a picture of Sora and who Terra assumed were his parents. The photo was from when Sora was a kid, but even so, he looked remarkably like his father – same hair color, some face shape, same smile. His mother's hair was dark, darker than his, the shape of her jaw and nose different, but her eyes – they were just like his. Blue as the sky, full of life, sparkling with energy and enthusiasm. Only now Sora's had lost their usual spark. Yet another casualty of Xehanort's ambition.

Terra's attention turned to a small diary on the table. A ballpoint pen was poised over its open pages, but nothing was written in it yet. Sora cleared his throat and closed the book before sitting across from Terra.

"Oh, do you want anything to drink?" he asked. "We've got water, milk, mango juice, paopu fruit tea—"

Terra shook his head and offered one of Aqua's cookies again. Sora took it this time and nibbled on it.

"Well? What do you think?"

"It's good," Sora said. "Tell her thank you for me, will you?"

"You could just thank her yourself," Terra pointed out.

Sora sat back in his chair, lowering the cookie back to the table. With his free hand he traced the wood grains.

"Terra, how… how did you face her? How did you face Ven? After everything that happened, I mean."

Terra knew that wasn't the question Sora really wanted to ask, but he answered it anyway. "Well, at first, I wasn't sure how I would. But as the years passed, I wanted to see them badly enough that my drive to return to them outweighed my guilt. Trust me, when you've been separated from your friends for long enough, you stop caring about any guilt you might feel. All that matters is seeing them again."

Sora's voice was soft when he spoke again. "That I can believe."

* * *

Riku was leaning against the paopu tree of the Play Island when Sora found him. But as glad as he was to see his friend, he knew better than to make a big deal about his arrival. So he didn't say anything, simply summoned his Keyblade and charged. Sora parried the attack, and with that one of their usual sparring matches had begun. Just like normal, as if the last time they had faced each other Sora hadn't hurt Riku so badly he'd fallen unconscious.

"C'mon, Sora," Riku said presently, a sheen of sweat building on his brow. "You can do better than that."

Sora said nothing, simply continued his usual pattern of attack, a smooth, elegant dance. Riku easily dodged and parried his attacks, managing to land his infamous jump kick on his friend. Sora winced and staggered backward, and Riku shook his head and sighed.

"You're holding back. Don't. You can't fight Xehanort like that. When you fight, you have to fight to win." Sora had never failed to rise to Riku's challenge before. But now, he was hesitating, restraining himself.

"I don't want to win," Sora said, plopping onto the ground and letting his Keyblade disappear. "Not against you. Not ever again."

"Because you're afraid of your own strength. You're afraid of your darkness. You're afraid you'll hurt me. But most of all, you're afraid of yourself."

Riku was speaking of Sora's fear, but it so closely mirrored his own, back when he'd struggled to come to terms with the darkness inside him, that it felt like the pep talks he'd had to give himself back then.

His words had gotten Sora riled up. "Well, so what if I am?!" Sora said. "If it weren't for Kairi, Riku, I could have killed you. Doesn't that scare you?"

Riku shook his head, and Sora gave him a disbelieving look. "You can't be serious."

"I am. And do you really think Xehanort would have let us die? He needs us for his plans. The only reason he made you hurt us was to mess with your head." Riku charged at Sora, and at the last second Sora summoned his Keyblade and retaliated. Darkness crashed into Riku, and he flipped backwards and gave Sora a satisfied grin. "There it is. It's the darkness you've been trying to hold back."

Sora looked from his outstretched hand to Riku and dropped his Keyblade. "No, no, I don't want it, I don't want this!" He clutched his head, his chest rapidly rising and falling as his eyes filled with fear.

"It's a part of you now. You can't fight it, Sora. You have to accept it and channel it into something good."

"It isn't good! I've seen what it can do!"

"It didn't really bother you when you used it before." Riku sighed and picked up Sora's Keyblade, watching as it disappeared and reappeared in Sora's grasp. Sora immediately made it disappear again, as if touching it was like touching a hot iron.

"Kairi asked me to talk to you about it a while ago," Riku continued. "I promised her I would, but then I let everything else get in the way. I should have made more time for you. I'm sorry, Sora. Maybe if I had, you wouldn't have—"

"Shut up! I know I messed up! I know my heart's corrupted!"

Riku was startled at his outburst. "Corrupted? Sora, what on earth makes you think that?" He frowned and leaned against the paopu tree, looking at his friend with a critical eye. "Does that mean you think my heart's corrupted, too? Ansem had a hold on me a lot longer than Xehanort had you."

Sora's eyes went wide. "That's not what I meant!"

"You're free from Xehanort now. Kairi and I made sure of that, and so did you." There would be aftereffects, of course, like his increased ability to tap into the darkness, but it was nothing Riku hadn't seen in his own recovery.

"If we did, then why do I still feel like this?" Sora demanded, clutching his chest. "Why do I still feel… still feel…"

"Still feel what?" Riku asked softly.

Sora finally slumped against the tree next to him. "Dirty." He closed his eyes and rested his hand against his forehead. "I feel dirty. Dirty and used. Like Xehanort's taken everything that made me me and stomped all over it."

Riku sighed. "I felt the same way. It's why I couldn't bring myself to see you until Kairi insisted. But unlike you, I chose to give into the darkness. You only gave into it so you could save Terra. Sora, Kairi and I know you never wanted to hurt us."

Riku knew Sora didn't believe it, but it didn't make it any less true. If only Sora believed it about himself.

"He used Kairi, Riku," Sora whispered. "He used her to break me." He dug the heel of his hand into his eye as if that could stop his emotions from overtaking him. "And before that, I felt everything. He – he used my heart to access your memories, and Aqua's and Ven's and Terra's and Roxas's and Xion's and Naminé's and Lea's – he found them all. I saw everyone's memories and felt their hurt, all at once."

Riku wasn't really sure he wanted to hear how Xehanort had broken his best friend. But morbid curiosity got the better of him.

"And you held it all at once?" he asked. "It wasn't till later… with the Kairi stuff…"

Sora looked Riku in the eye, his own eyes filled with pain. "That's why he kept doing it. He was fascinated by it, Riku. He wouldn't stop talking about it, even while I—while I wanted him to stop. He kept saying how impressed he was, and it made me feel…"

Riku waited. While he thought Kairi might be a better candidate for this level of gut spilling, he wasn't about to shut Sora down, even as uncomfortable as all this was making him.

"It made me feel… like I was his experiment. He even asked me if I was really human."

Sora choked on the last word. Much like when he'd watched Kairi cry, Riku couldn't take this anymore. He put a hand on Sora's shoulder, and Sora took that as permission. He threw his arms around Riku, and Riku awkwardly returned the hug and patted him on the back.

"Sora," he said at last, when the hug was over, "are you really going to listen to what the bad guy has to say about you? What about what I have to say? What about Roxas and Xion and Naminé and Lea, or Terra and Aqua and Ven? What about Mickey and Donald and Goofy? Why don't you ask them what they have to say?" He glanced at the dock, his face softening. "What about what Kairi has to say?"

Sora followed his gaze, inhaling sharply at the figure tying her little rowboat. He placed a hand on Riku's arm.

"I can't do this. I can't face her."

"Yes, you can." Riku straightened and stretched. "Come find me afterwards. We still need to practice controlling your darkness."

"Riku, wait!" Sora was looking at him with an almost pitiful expression.

"Don't be like me. Don't be a coward. Remember how you felt, when you searched for me everywhere but couldn't find me? That's how Kairi feels right now. Don't make her go through the same thing I made you go through. She deserves better."

Kairi must have seen them, but she said nothing. She didn't even look their way. Instead, she wandered over to the entrance of the Secret Place and crouched low so she could crawl through.

"See? She's waiting for you to come to her on your terms."

"Kairi…" There was an unmistakable look in Sora's eyes as his hand instinctively reached out to her. Riku gave him a playful shove in her direction.

"C'mon, Sora. It's obvious how much you want to see her. She wants to see you, too. Just go talk to her, idiot. What's the worst that could happen?"

Sora turned back to look at Riku, nodding to steel himself. "Okay, I will."

"There you go." Riku smiled at his friend's retreating figure as he returned to his rowboat. Sora might think he needed Riku's courage right now, but he had everything he already needed within him.

And if anyone could get him to see that, it was Kairi.

* * *

The Secret Place was as cool and damp as always, which was a nice relief from the tropical sun. It hadn't changed, but Sora had to crouch lower than ever to get through. Thankfully, it wasn't long before he made it through the little passage, straightening once more to his full height.

"This is where it all began," Kairi said, not even turning around to look at him. She was on her knees, and her hand rested on the chalky outlines of the paopu drawing. Sora had the urge to turn around and flee. Of all the conversations, this was about the last one he wanted to have right now.

Her hand lingered on the drawing of him, gently tracing the outlines of his hair and cheek. "We had no idea what was coming." Her head drooped, red hair flashing against the dull gray of the cavern walls.

"You did. You remembered your home," Sora said softly. "This world was your shelter from what you knew was coming, and Riku and I were too gung-ho about taking the raft and going on an adventure to even see it."

If only he'd paid closer attention to all the hints she'd dropped about how worried she was. Instead, he'd missed most of them and brushed the rest aside. Some friend he was.

Her hand lowered, finding its place in her lap. "Did you read my latest letter, too?"

"Yes." Sora remained frozen in place, unable to go to her. She, similarly, didn't move, still didn't even turn around to look at him.

"I meant every word," she said, her voice cracking.

"I know."

She touched the drawing again. "I still want to make this real. But I know… I know, right now, that's not really—"

Sora couldn't take it anymore. He closed the distance between them and swooped her up into a hug. She gasped, then hugged him back so hard it was like she was afraid he would disappear the moment she let go. Her slight frame shook in his arms as she began to sob, and he brought her closer, hugging her the way he'd longed to hug her, holding her the way he should have held her instead of throttling her till she passed out.

This was right and good and real, the first time Sora had felt like this since Xehanort's possession. How could he have let his shame come between them when she needed comforting as badly as he did? He held her as she cried, feeling like crying himself.

"I'm here," he whispered. That was the only comfort he could give her. But maybe it was just what she needed. This latest round of hurt had been caused by him, so he had to be the one to heal it. And so he offered himself, the only salve that might help.

"I was so worried about you," she sobbed.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Her words reminded him of all the things he'd seen when Xehanort had tormented him. Her trauma was personal and intimate, never meant to be shared; but he knew it now and what he'd seen made his heart ache.

"Kairi, I saw what he did to you. When you were a little girl back on Radiant Garden."

Kairi stiffened in his embrace, then moved away so she could search his eyes. Hers were red and puffy from crying. "What do you mean?"

"He—he kidnapped you from your home. He experimented on your heart to see if it really was made of light. And after that, he must have cast you into the stars so you would lead him to me and Riku."

Sora's voice trembled as he tried to keep himself under control. He wanted to be strong for Kairi. Breaking down in front of her again was the last thing she needed.

Her face had gone pale, her expression strained. "So my dream _was_ about that. I – I never told anyone. I barely even remembered it myself. Just fleeting images and feelings. Xehanort showed you what he did to me, didn't he?"

Sora nodded and brought her back into his arms. "You were so scared. You kept calling for your grandma. You didn't understand why Xehanort was being so cruel. I – I wanted to make it stop. I called your name, but you couldn't hear me. I couldn't do anything to help. I was just sitting there helpless as I watched him torment you. I watched him torment all of you, and I couldn't make him stop. They were your memories, and I – I couldn't make them stop."

It was all coming back in a horrible rush. All the memories, all the pain, and Sora couldn't make any of it stop. He was crying now, and Kairi didn't say anything for a long time as he wept in her arms. She just held him tight. When she finally did speak, her voice was filled with compassion.

"That's how he broke you, isn't it? He used our hurt to make you suffer, too." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Sora, I'm so sorry. What we went through was bad enough. We never wanted you to go through it too."

Much like when Donald and Goofy had cried for him, Kairi's tears were also healing his heart. He'd set out to comfort her, but somehow she had ended up comforting him instead.

"Your arms," she said when the hug had ended again, sniffing. She grabbed one and examined the damage, the wounds that were slowly turning into scars. "Here, let me heal them."

He watched as one by one, she touched them and worked her magic. The green light was soothing, calming, and the bruised skin was repaired to rights under her gentle touch. When she was finished, only the faint outline of the injuries remained, and perhaps they, too, would fade with time.

"Thank you," he said, his voice thicker than he was expecting. He lifted his newly healed arm to cup her cheek with his hand. Never again would he let his body be used to hurt her, to harm her. It didn't matter who was controlling it. From now on, it would only be used to show care, to bring comfort, to protect, to heal. Whatever she might want or ask or need.

It was a promise, a new promise, unspoken but requiring no words to convey. She understood, and Sora did, too.

He would keep this promise with his life.

* * *

A/N: The bow Terra did in this chapter is called a _dogeza_ in Japanese, and it's the same thing Sora did when he begged Saïx to take him to Kairi. Depending on the situation, it can be used to show deference, to apologize, or to ask for a favor. In this case... yeah, no way something like this wouldn't have moved Sora deeply, hence why Terra decided to use it.

Anyway, I was pretty excited to share this chapter with you all. I've been wanting Sora and Kairi to have a moment together where they just comfort each other after everything they've been through, so this was very therapeutic to write. So were the scenes with Sora and Terra and Sora and Riku. Sure, I do enjoy angst, but writing the reconciliation and healing that can happen afterwards? Even better.

As always, thank you for reading!


	24. Chapter 24 - Fate

Chapter 24 – Fate

While Sora had escaped from Xehanort in his waking hours, it seemed that he couldn't escape him in his dreams. The man haunted him night after night until Meow Wow came to guard him. Always a taunting here, a flash of memory there, a world connected with great drawbridges, a mysterious study with a great white window and fluttering curtains.

He was tired, tired of fighting, tired of Xehanort messing with his mind and heart. He threw his Keyblade at him, only for it to bounce off and stick in the sand.

"Just leave me alone." He rolled onto his back and stared up at the stars, hoping Xehanort would take the hint.

He didn't. He even had the nerve to sit next to Sora and stare out at the sea. Sora had the urge to get up and move, but somehow he knew that wouldn't make a difference. Xehanort would just follow him wherever he went.

"This was once my home, too. You and I are not so different, Sora."

Sora propped himself up on his elbows. "Should I even bother answering that? When have you ever apologized to the people you've hurt for what you've done?"

Xehanort carefully scrutinized him. "You've made up with Kairi and Riku, haven't you?"

Sora said nothing. It was true, he'd made up with them, but there was still a long ways to go before the damage to his friendships was fully repaired. If it ever could be.

"See?" Xehanort said, a satisfied smirk on his face. "I knew they would forgive you."

"It would've been better if they'd had nothing to forgive in the first place," Sora said, his fists clenching. He had the urge to punch Xehanort in the face. He would have tried, too, if he knew it wouldn't be pointless.

"Ah, but then you would not have gotten to experience the full depths of their devotion. Now you know they would both die for you, much like you would die for them. And you finally have proof that Kairi will go to the same lengths to save you that you went to save her. Doesn't that warm your heart?"

Sora's skin crawled. He never wanted or needed such proof, written in bruises and tears and anguish and broken hearts. Just being with her was good enough.

"You're desperate to prove that we're different," Xehanort continued. "Why? Because you don't want to think you're capable of doing what I have done?"

Sora refused to reply. Yes, he'd been stupid to go off on his own and take Xehanort on alone. Yes, he'd hurt Riku and Kairi. Yes, his friends had risked their lives to save him. But that hardly put him on the same level as Xehanort. He was starting to believe that about himself again.

So of course Xehanort had to come along and try to destroy even that. Would the lies and manipulation never end?

"This may surprise you to hear," Xehanort said, breaking through his thoughts, "but I had a friend once."

Sora had to laugh. "You had a friend? Who was dumb enough to trust you?"

"Aqua, Terra, and Ventus's master. Eraqus."

"Their master? Seriously?" Sora sat up and gave Xehanort his full attention. "You were friends with him? But… he's not around anymore." His eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't have had something to do with that, would you?"

It was one thing to hurt people you didn't know or care about, but another to betray your own friends. Just when Sora thought Xehanort couldn't get any lower.

Xehanort shook his head. "No, it was Terra's doing. He attacked his master in a fit of rage, leaving Aqua and Ven without a master or father. Tell me, Sora, was saving someone like him worth the price you paid?"

Sora was silent. The Terra Xehanort described was very different from the one Aqua and Ven remembered.

 _He tried to protect me, too. Not only that, but he apologized to me and even thanked me for saving him._

"Somehow I get the feeling there's more to the story than what you're telling me," Sora said at last. There always was, with Xehanort. The man rarely outright lied, but he did tell a lot of half-truths. And that kind of lie was harder to spot, because it had enough of the truth mixed in with it.

Thankfully, Sora had gotten a lot better at noticing Xehanort's. It was hard not to, when he'd been the target of them.

"You think I'm obsessed with the darkness," Xehanort said, "but Eraqus was just as fixated on the light."

"I'm guessing he had a good reason for that."

"Would you like to see?"

Sora hesitated. Xehanort was inviting him into his memories? Was the world connected by drawbridges that Sora had seen so often in his dreams lately from Xehanort's past? Or would he be treated to more misery and anguish like what he'd seen in that awful lab on Radiant Garden?

"Why? Why are you doing this?" he asked. Xehanort didn't do a single thing unless it would somehow further his plans.

 _How do I know this isn't just more manipulation? How do I know he won't just show me more terrible things?_

"Because you might understand. The others wouldn't, but you might."

"Understand what?"

"Go into my memories and see."

Sora was curious, how someone could become as terrible as Xehanort. Surely he hadn't always been like this. But he knew better than to just walk into another trap.

"No. I don't care what excuse you think you might have. You have no reason to treat people the way you do."

"I want to find the light in the darkness. Surely you understand the sentiment. You're trying to do the exact same thing."

Sora shook his head. "No. I want to heal all the people you've hurt. What good are all your goals and ideals if you have to hurt people to reach them?"

Sora had no more patience for listening to Xehanort's ramblings about how the ends justified the means. They never did, if people's hearts were the price. There was something very wrong about putting a price on hearts in the first place.

Sora wished, for a terrible moment, that he could force all the pain of his friends onto Xehanort, and see how that made him feel about using people like they were bottles on a shelf. But it wouldn't be right, to use his friends' hurt like some kind of weapon. The first place Xehanort had gone wrong was failing to treat people like people, and Sora wouldn't make the same mistake.

"But surely you've heard the legend?" Xehanort said. "The light from children's hearts is what restored the worlds after the Great Keyblade War. Everything had been plunged into darkness, but their light shone through and wrought creation out of destruction."

"Yeah, I know. Kairi's grandma used to tell her that story."

Xehanort's eyes had a strange gleam in them. "Don't you want to know more, Sora? Don't you want to see what it was like? The moment balance was restored?"

Sora considered Xehanort's question. "I guess, the same way I'm curious about anything that's happened before. But I'm not so crazy as to try to make it happen all over again."

And that was the difference between regular people and someone like Xehanort. Curiosity was never a good thing if it was allowed to reach obsession.

"Haven't you heard the stories? Whoever controls Kingdom Hearts can remake the world however they want it to be. I can use that power to overthrow the tyranny of light and restore balance to the worlds."

Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. Xehanort wanted power to fix a problem he'd created?

He fixed him with a cold glare. "The worlds are only unbalanced because of you. You're the one who brought darkness to the realm of light. And my friends and I are the ones who always have to undo the damage. Not just once, not just twice – three times. Three times, Xehanort, on top of all the hearts we've had to restore. People whose lives you tried to destroy."

And the cost of that was something Xehanort couldn't even begin to fathom or understand. Sora did, and it had left him in his current state, broken and hurting and bleeding not just for his friends, but for himself now, too.

But if one person could bring such destruction and ruin to the worlds, then surely that meant one person could restore and heal them, too. After his miserable failure to keep Kairi and Riku safe, Sora knew it shouldn't be him, but surely one of his friends could do it.

Xehanort didn't address Sora's accusations. Instead, he said, "The worlds were not always the way they were. They were once as one."

Sora narrowed his eyes. "I already knew that. And if they were combined together again, we'd start a new Keyblade War. That's just what you want, isn't it? Everyone fighting each other over land and water and food. And not just that, but over who gets to rule, who controls the light, who controls Kingdom Hearts. You might want that, but I won't ever let it happen. I have to protect the world order."

Xehanort shook his head, as if Sora was a kid who didn't understand what his teacher was saying. "But I can remake the world order so it will be as if none of that will have happened. It has been foretold. And do you know how I know this?"

Sora sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone until I give in, are you? Fine. Show me your memories. But after that, you had better leave me alone."

"As you wish." With that, the beach of the Play Island faded away and transformed into something else entirely.

Sora had been to many worlds, but the scenery around him was unfamiliar. It was night, and he was standing in a shallow pond, the murky water covering his shoes and reaching up to lap at his shins. The moonlight danced between the trees and illuminated the dozens of blossoms floating in the water. They were pretty, sticking out of the muck and resting on the water's surface beside their round green leaves.

"You know what lotuses mean, right?"

Sora whirled around. "Kairi, what are you doing here?"

She was the last person he was expecting to see here. How had she even found this place? What would she think if she knew he'd been talking to Xehanort?

"Our hearts are connected," she said, kneeling to pluck a flower out of the mud. "You came to me in my dream, so I figured I should be able to enter yours, too. Whatever Xehanort plans on showing you or doing to you, I won't let you go through it alone. Not again."

Well, that answered that question. She already knew. And her promise to stay with him, when before he'd felt so alone throughout his ordeal, warmed his heart.

She picked her way around the other lotuses and waded over to him. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached up to tuck the lotus behind his ear and smiled softly at her handiwork. It struck Sora, and not for the first time, that her eyes were especially beautiful at night.

"Xion was right," she said. "Lotuses do suit you."

"Because they grow in the mud?" The attempt at self-deprecation sounded even sadder than it had in his head.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "No, silly. They're a symbol of purity because of that. They're the flower that rises out of the mud surrounding them." She cleared her throat and put on her posh princess voice. It had been ages since Sora had last heard her use it. With a pang he realized how much he'd missed it.

"In the language of flowers, they can also mean rebirth, eloquence, sacredness, and… separation from the one you love."

Sora frowned. "Separation from the one I love? Why would I want a flower that means something awful like that?"

Kairi swirled the water with her shoe. "I don't know, but even when we're together now, it still feels like we're apart, doesn't it?"

How was it that Kairi could put so clearly into words the things he was feeling?

"It's my fault," Sora said, staring at the water lapping at his shoes. "I'm the one who pushed you away. I'm the one who hurt you."

Kairi shook her head, her face bowed low. "You're not the only one to blame for what happened. I… I could have fought back. I could have defended myself. But I egged Xehanort on instead, because I – I knew, if you had to hurt me, you might—" She looked up at him, and her lower lip was trembling. "I'm just as cruel as he is, using you to get the outcome I wanted! How can I even call myself your friend?"

Sora put his hands on her shoulders. "Kairi, stop. Don't blame yourself. It's my fault. If I'd been strong enough to stop him, this never would have happened."

"But don't you see?" She grabbed onto his arms. "There's only so much you can do, Sora! I can't watch you tear yourself apart any longer, even if it is to help our friends! You're only human. You need support as much as anyone. You shouldn't have to bear this all alone."

He gripped her shoulders so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Say that again." He hated how needy he sounded, but he had to hear her say it again.

She gave him a quizzical look. "You… need support?"

"No, not that part." He took a deep breath to try to steady his voice. "Tell me – tell me I'm human."

He still couldn't shake the horrible feeling that he wasn't. That he was some monster instead, or if not a monster some alien far removed from the people around him. An empty container for other people's hearts, soaking up their memories and feelings and experiences till he ceased to be Sora and became something else instead.

Maybe there never had been a Sora. Maybe Sora was only a combination of several different people smooshed into one. There wasn't anything unique to him. It was all just a collection of other people's memories and feelings. Even Ven used the exact same gestures he always did.

Take all those hearts out of him, and what was he left with? Take Xehanort's heart out, and what had he become?

Kairi gave him one of her knowing looks, and he knew she understood what he was really asking.

"Sora," she said, taking his hands in hers and running her thumbs across his knuckles, "it doesn't matter what Xehanort told you or made you do. Your power to connect hearts is special, but you're still you. You follow your heart in a way most of us can only dream of, and that makes you the most human of us all."

Geez, his eyes were stinging again. Leave it to Kairi to know exactly what to say. He'd just assumed his ability to connect to other people meant he was becoming something more than human, not more human. But maybe, maybe Kairi was right. Maybe this was what people were supposed to be, if their hearts didn't become so crowded by cynicism and weariness and hurt as they grew up that they could no longer reach out to the hearts around them.

"But that means you need friends as much as the rest of else. No, even more than the rest of us." Kairi paused, lifting her head so she could meet his gaze. "Let me in. Let me help."

Sora stared into her eyes. He wanted to. He wanted to restore the trust between them. Anything to make up for what he'd done. His arms went around her, and a brief light shone from their embrace, illuminating the area nearby and warming Sora's heart.

"I don't want to push you away anymore, Kairi. I never did."

"I know."

Together they walked out of the pond and onto dry ground. In the distance was a long drawbridge, and that drawbridge led to what looked like a great castle. Sora had no idea where Xehanort wanted him to go, but the castle seemed like a good bet.

"What is _she_ doing here?"

Sora couldn't see Xehanort, but he heard his snide voice all the same. That was when it hit him. Xehanort was still bitter about how Kairi had outsmarted him, about how she'd taunted him, gained the upper hand, and broken his control over Sora. Sora took a great deal of satisfaction in that, and his grip on her hand tightened, her comforting presence giving him courage.

"She's coming with me. Either she comes, or I don't see whatever it is you want to show me."

Kairi summoned her Keyblade. "Don't even think of trying anything. I've saved him from you before, and I can do it again."

It was nice to have Kairi watching his back. Now more than ever he could see how stupid he'd been to shut her out. For a fleeting moment, he felt like they could handle anything so long as they were together.

But then he remembered his failure to keep her safe, both in the past and in the present, and the moment died along with whatever positive thoughts and feelings had come with it.

Kairi noticed. She lifted her Keyblade in the air and addressed Xehanort once more. "And if you think that you can use what you did to me as some sort of sick tool to make him suffer, then think again. Your plan backfired in a way you never could have imagined. I may not have been able to see Sora or even hear him, but thanks to you I know I wasn't alone now. He was with me the whole time, just like he promised."

She turned to Sora, and there was a soft, tender look in her eyes. He just stared at her, a lump building in his throat. Xehanort had convinced him that he could only watch her suffering, but what she was saying made it sound like he really had been there with her as it had happened.

Was it possible that, in some mysterious way, he had? Not at the same time, of course, but he knew what he'd seen and felt had been real. Even if it was just a memory, he had shared it with her. Their hearts were connected, and maybe that connection went beyond time itself.

If nothing else, maybe knowing he understood what she'd been through brought some comfort to her now. And maybe it wasn't such a stretch to think that that comfort could move backwards in time as much as it could forwards.

And if so, then maybe his suffering wasn't as pointless as he'd thought. If it brought Kairi even a little bit of comfort, then that meant something good had come out of it when before he'd thought no such thing was even possible. Xehanort certainly hadn't meant for it to be. But that didn't mean Sora couldn't make it so.

Xehanort finally spoke again. "If you insist. Go inside the study of the castle, and you will find the answers you seek there."

* * *

"Any luck?" Kairi asked, poking her head around the corner. They were in the study of the castle, just like Xehanort had instructed.

Well, if this grand room could even be called that. There was an enormous window that stretched from floor to ceiling covered by fluttering gauze curtains. The same window that he'd been seeing in his dreams for the past several days. Shelf after shelf of books lined the walls, and there was even a staircase leading up to a second floor for easier access to all the books there.

Sora knew it was a dream, but it still felt like they'd spent hours here, looking in vain for whatever it was Xehanort wanted them to see.

He shook his head and sighed. "I got nothing. Somehow I feel like _A History of Drawbridge Construction_ isn't going to help."

She giggled, and he caught himself smiling back. Being around Kairi, it was difficult to stay down in the dumps.

"Maybe it's not the books," she suggested. "Maybe there's something else here we're supposed to see."

"You could have just told us, you know," Sora muttered, knowing Xehanort could hear him.

"But what would be the fun in that?" came Xehanort's voice. "It would ruin the whole game."

Sora bristled. "If this is some kind of game to you, then—"

"Sora, wait," Kairi said, holding her hand up in the air. "I think he's giving us a clue."

"Oh. A game, huh? What kind of game would be in a study? Maybe something like—"

"Chess." Kairi held one of the curtains back, revealing an enormous windowsill. On it was a chessboard, but unlike any Sora had ever seen in his life. The squares were laid out diagonally, and some of them were even raised above the other ones. On one side was a series of silver and white pieces, and on the other black and gold ones.

Kairi picked up one of the white pieces to show him. "Sora, look. It's the king." Sora took it from her and stared. He couldn't believe his eyes. His crown symbol, the same as the one that was on the necklace he always wore, was attached to the top of the piece.

"How? How is that even possible?"

"There's more." Kairi pointed to another piece on the board, what looked to be the queen. "This one, with the star shape on top – it's like the paopu fruit on my Keyblade."

She was right. And it wasn't the only one. One of the chess pieces had a symbol in the shape of Mickey's head, and another Riku's heart emblem. The keychains for Terra, Aqua, and Ven's Keyblades were all there, too.

Seven. There were seven distinct symbols, even if a few pieces repeated themselves.

"Sora, this is crazy. Someone – someone must have known about the Guardians of Light and made all these pieces to reflect that."

"Not just that. They knew who we would be. How else would the symbols be so perfect?" Sora paused. He'd had another thought. "What about the black and gold pieces? Do they match the white and silver ones?"

Kairi shook her head. "Look, the king for them is—"

"Xehanort." Sora would recognize his ram emblem anywhere. It was on the Keyblade he'd forced Sora to wield, after all. "Kairi, how many distinct pieces are there?"

She examined them, lips moving as she counted them up in her head. Then she met his gaze. "Thirteen, Sora. There are thirteen."

"Do you see, now?" Xehanort's voice boomed. "The future has already been written. 'On that land, darkness shall prevail and light expire.' You cannot stop the prophecy from coming to pass. Eraqus, in his arrogance, tried. That is what caused his downfall, and that is what will cause your downfall."

"It doesn't matter," Sora said, clenching his fists. "If you really think that showing us some old chessboard is going to keep us from stopping you—"

"Oh, I know it won't keep you from fighting me. I just want you to be aware of the futility of resisting me. The worlds have been unnaturally separated for too long. They must be joined together again if balance is to be restored, and I fully intend to be the one to do it. You can't stop destiny from being fulfilled."

Kairi slammed her hands down onto the board, sending chess pieces flying. "Don't underestimate the light! It's more powerful than you think!" Her eyes flashed, and Xehanort's laughter pealed throughout the study.

"You know, that's exactly the kind of thing Eraqus used to say to me. You're more like him than you know. Just don't let your fixation on the light lead to your downfall, too. Light can be used for evil just as much as darkness can. If you don't believe me, just ask Terra and Aqua."

The scenery around them began to fade to darkness.

"Kairi!" Sora called. He reached for her hand and held it tight.

"Sora, when we wake up, come find me. This could be the key to it everything. I'll write down whatever I can remember. Hurry!"

* * *

Sora woke up with his heart pounding. Light streamed through the window of his room. He tossed the covers aside and threw on a t-shirt. He had to check if what he'd seen was real. He had to know if Kairi had seen it too.

"Sora, honey?" his mom called up. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Sorry, Mom, there's something I have to talk to Kairi about!" he called down. "I'll be home for dinner, anything you want me to pick up while I'm out?"

"Hmmm, we're about out of milk and eggs. And we could really use some more paper towels."

He ran down the stairs, taking them in twos. "Got it. I'm heading out now!" He planted a quick kiss on her cheek as he raced past her, then grabbed his shoes and slammed the door behind him.

Kairi, as the daughter of the mayor, lived in a big, fancy house up on the highest hill of the island. In his lazy bum days, racing up that hill would have made him balk, but now he didn't care. Kairi's last words to him had been to come find her, so find her he would.

Panting for breath, he rang the elegant-looking doorbell with black and white trim. Her father's secretary opened it, proper and regal and composed in her sharp-looking suit. She took one look at his disheveled appearance and raised an eyebrow. Sora plowed on as if nothing was amiss. He couldn't afford to waste any time.

"Morning, ma'am. Is Kairi—er, I mean, Miss Kairi, home?" He and Kairi had been friends since childhood, but her father was still the mayor, and in his home, a certain level of decorum was required. Well, around other people, anyway. As soon as he and Kairi were alone, she insisted he drop the miss.

"Sora!" Kairi's window popped open above him, and Sora was so glad to see her he was about to start climbing the wall of the house to reach her.

The secretary, of course, stopped him. "Sora, whatever may be happening, it does not require scaling the wall of the mayor's home like some sort of monkey. The stairs will do just fine."

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, ma'am." She opened the door wider, and he stumbled up the grand velvet staircase to Kairi's room. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been inside, but it was completely different from his memories.

A dark purple comforter covered the bed, and an elegant wooden desk was wedged in the corner. On the desk was a bulletin board filled with pictures, many of which he was in. With a pang, he realized all of them were from before their adventures had started. All except two, in the short time they'd had together before he and Riku had left to take their Mark of Mastery.

The first was of the three of them on the Play Island. Sora remembered the moment they'd taken it. His smile was so wide his eyes were almost closed, and he had his arms around Kairi and Riku. But the second one he had never seen. Kairi must have taken it when he hadn't been paying attention. Eyes filled with light and happiness, smile as big as the sun. It was probably one of the best pictures he'd ever seen of himself.

 _Is that how I always smile when I'm looking at her?_

 _I… I wish I could smile at her like that again._ Free from guilt and shame. Free to express how he truly felt.

"Sora," came Donald's familiar quack, "are you going to keep gawking at Kairi's pictures, or are you going to help us figure this out?"

Sora felt the heat rising in his cheeks as he turned to face his friends. "Donald? You're here? And Riku and Goofy too?"

Sure enough, they were all sitting on the floor next to Kairi. Goofy waved and returned his attention to the purple spiral notebook resting on the floor between them. Sora could make out Kairi's neat handwriting on its pages.

"Of course," Riku said. "Kairi called me and told me what you guys saw, and Donald and Goofy have been guarding her, so they were already here." He raised an eyebrow. "You ran over here as soon as you woke up, didn't you?"

Kairi giggled at this, and Sora felt oddly self-conscious about his appearance. Since when did it matter if he had bed hair or wrinkled clothes? His friends had all seen him like this before.

But it did matter, because Kairi was here.

Ignoring the conflicting mixture of feelings swirling within him at the moment, Sora turned to Kairi and said, "I didn't just imagine it. You really were there with me. In the dream I mean." He caught himself before he sat down next to her. She'd forgiven him, but things still weren't completely back to normal. He didn't have the right to just act like everything was fine.

"Of course," she said, scooting over to make room for him and patting the spot next to her. "I told you I'd protect you, remember?"

He swallowed. "Y-yeah."

They spent the next several hours recreating everything as well as they could from memory. The chess game, the layout of the study – every detail that might be relevant, they jotted down.

"Do you think Xehanort was telling the truth?" Sora said, staring at the chess diagram Kairi had sketched. "Are we all just doomed no matter what?"

Goofy scratched his head. "Well gawrsh, all this chess board tells us is who the Guardians of Light and the Seekers of Darkness are, and we already knew that anyway. We knew we'd have to fight Xehanort, too. If anyone made this come true, he did."

"But he didn't remember what would happen in the future, when he went back to his own time," Donald pointed out.

"No, but it was his actions in the present that set him on his current path. I can see why he thinks his future was determined for him," Riku said.

"Was it though?" Kairi asked. "If he didn't remember, then did he freely choose what he became, or not?"

Sora looked to Riku, who simply shrugged. "Maybe his younger self isn't to blame, but his current self is. I think we can all agree on that."

"What about the rest of the prophecy?" Kairi said. "He said darkness would prevail and light would expire. That… doesn't sound good."

"Actually…" Riku began to say, but Goofy interrupted him.

"But that could mean anything, Kairi," he said. "It doesn't mean we'll lose. It may not even be the whole prophecy. It could be talkin' about a single world, or a single person. We have no idea, and I think the reason he showed Sora all of this was to try to push him even further into despair."

"I'm not despairing," Sora said, his voice soft. "Guys, I know you're worried about me, but I haven't given up hope." He paused, then decided to just be honest. "I'm having a hard time forgiving myself for what happened, but that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me."

"Which is why we're here to remind you that you should forgive yourself." Riku stood and offered his hand. "Don't forget what I said before. I fully intend to show you how to control your darkness so it doesn't control you."

Sora nodded and grabbed his hand, allowing himself to be pulled up off the ground.

"Kairi, Donald, Goofy, find Aqua and Terra and Ven and tell them what happened, would you?" Sora asked as Riku hauled him to the door. "I'm gonna go practice with Riku."

"About that," Riku said, pausing and letting go of his hand. "I haven't had the chance to tell you guys yet, and maybe now isn't the best time, but... Eraqus is alive. He's been inside Terra's heart, all this time."

Donald and Goofy sprung to their feet. "He _what_?!" They cycled through surprise, then confusion, then realization together.

Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. Xehanort had made it sound like Eraqus was dead, like Terra had killed him. But maybe that's not what had happened at all.

 _Of course. I should have known better than to believe Xehanort._

Kairi's face brightened, and she scrambled to her feet. "Then that means… You didn't just save Terra, Sora, you saved Eraqus, too!"

"I… I did?" It had never occurred to him that by saving Terra he might have saved Eraqus as well.

She took his hands in hers. "Sora, don't you see? Your sacrifice wasn't in vain. It's already brought more good than you or Xehanort ever could have imagined."

She was looking at him again in that same way as before, and that paired with her words brought a calming warmth that radiated up his body from their connected hands.

"She's right. Eraqus has a plan," Riku said. "A plan that not even Xehanort knows about."

This was the best news he'd heard all week.

"What is it?" Goofy asked.

Riku opened his mouth, but Sora stopped him.

"Riku, wait." He looked to Kairi, and she nodded. "Whatever Eraqus has planned, I can't know about it, because then Xehanort might find out. He might use his connection to me to access my memories again."

Riku frowned. "Oh, I guess you're right." His fists clenched, and a shadow passed over his face. "It's never enough for him, is it? First he has to—"

"It's fine. I can use it to our advantage, really. I mean, I've already gotten information out of him." Sora attempted a smile, but if he was being completely honest, he'd rather not have this connection at all.

"You tell him to stay out of your head," Donald said, wagging his finger in Sora's face. "He has no place there."

Sora rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think he's going to leave anytime soon." His eyes flickered to Kairi. "It's fine, really. So long as Kairi's with me, I know I can face him."

Kairi gave him that look again, and he found himself smiling back. Not the radiant smile from the picture, but something softer and gentler.

Afterwards, as he rowed his boat to the Play Island to wait as Riku told everyone else Eraqus's plan, he couldn't help but wonder. Would light expire and darkness prevail no matter what they did? What did that even mean? The pieces hadn't accounted for Roxas or Xion or Naminé, either. What role would they play? Was it possible that they could upset Xehanort's carefully laid plans?

And then his thoughts wandered to his role. _I was the white king. The direct rival to Xehanort's. If light expires, then does that mean… does that mean I'm going to die?_

Death was his constant companion, ever since the night Destiny Islands had fallen. It had followed him around and whispered into his ear, reminding him of the precariousness of his situation, the uncertainty of his life. And yet, he wasn't afraid. After his sacrifice for Kairi, after he'd stared death in the face, it had even become something of a friend.

But the decisions he made affected more people than just him.

 _If I die, Kairi will never get over it. Riku won't, either. None of my friends will ever be the same again. A piece of their hearts will be missing without me in their lives. And if I lose any of them, there'll be holes in my heart, too._

Never again would he throw himself away without any regards to the people around him. His friends deserved better. Reckless sacrifice was not the answer. It never had been. He'd learned the wrong lesson from saving Kairi. That had been an act of love, but saving Terra had come more from a misguided sense of duty, a desire to help Aqua and Ven and a stupid refusal to find any other solution. And it had hurt the people he loved most.

He wouldn't throw his life away, because his life was not his to throw away. It was a gift to be shared with his friends, just as they shared their lives with him. And yet, Sora knew he might not have a choice. It was possible they were all going to die. What else could "light will expire" even mean?

But maybe that wasn't the right way of looking at it. Even if light did expire, even if they were locked into their fates, even if it meant they would die, Xehanort had to be stopped. The worlds were depending on them. Xehanort was making the prophecy come true, but what happened beyond it was in their hands.

Maybe… maybe the future wasn't so set in stone after all.

* * *

Kairi watched Sora leave. He still wasn't fully himself. But ever since their conversation in the Secret Place, he did seem to be doing better. She could only hope he would continue to heal as time went on.

She sighed. If only she knew where Lea was, too, and how he was doing.

"So, tell us this plan," she finally said, turning to Riku.

Riku nodded. "Right. Kairi, Eraqus is like Xehanort. He's lost his body before, so in theory, he can travel through time."

Riku paused and let that sink in. Kairi had been so focused on the present and future that she hadn't stopped to think that the key to all of this might in fact lie in the past. Thinking about the previous explanation for Xehanort's convoluted reasoning for how he'd traveled through time still made her head hurt. No wonder she hadn't given it much thought. That and all the other, more pressing matters she'd had on her hands had kept her mind busy.

"But Riku," she finally said, "if that's the only requirement, then Sora and I can do that, too. We both lost our bodies, remember?"

She hadn't even considered that she might be able to time travel, too, but she supposed she did fulfill the criteria, as did Sora.

Goofy nodded. "Yeah. And I guess you did too, Riku, when Ansem took over your body, I mean, I'm not sure if that really counts, but, uh…" He trailed off, not even sure what he was trying to say anymore.

"C'mon, guys, think," Riku said, his voice quivering with excitement. "If Xehanort's right, you can only travel through time if you've lost your body. And only then to times where a version of you already exists. Eraqus is older than any of us. He can go further back than Sora or Kairi ever could."

"Back to when he and Xehanort were still friends," Donald said, catching on to what Riku was saying. "Back before any of this ever happened."

Riku nodded. "The only thing is, we know that whatever Eraqus does in the past has already happened. It's the only past that ever existed. We can't change it, and we can't change the present, either."

"But what about the future?" Kairi asked. "What if Eraqus has to go back in time? What if the future depends on him going back?"

"Exactly. Now you're thinking," Riku said. "The key to Xehanort's defeat is already in place because Eraqus is about to put it there years in the past. After we get him into a data body, anyway."

"What is it, then? What's the key?" Donald and Goofy asked, leaning in close. Riku paused, a smile slowly working its way across his face.

"Xehanort's whole plan revolves around the prophecy. Eraqus is going to steal the most important part of it before Xehanort will ever get the chance to hear it."

* * *

A/N: With the chess pieces, I don't think it was confirmed what kind Sora's is supposed to be, but his piece is definitely facing off against Xehanort's in one of the trailers, so I decided to make his piece one of the kings and Xehanort's the other one.

I also realized I never replied to several of my guest reviewers, so to Guest(s) on April 12th and 15th and to SV, thank you for the reviews! And a big thank you to highhello for the lovely review, it really made my day! I do agree that Sora would be dealing with some serious trauma after what he's been through, and one of the things I really wanted to explore in this story was how he would recover and heal from that. I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far and I hope you like the rest!

And of course a big thank you to my regular reviewers. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	25. Chapter 25 - Support

Chapter 25 – Support

Thunk. Ven winced and rubbed his head. "Oooph, Sora, how do you even climb these trees? My hands keep slipping on the bark."

These trees were nothing like the ones back home. Their scaly trunks had few branches Ven could cling to, and the bark made it nearly impossible to grip. Sora had made it look easy to shimmy up their long trunks, but it had been anything but.

"Lots and lots of practice," Sora said, offering a hand up. A mischievous impulse came over Ven, and he yanked on Sora's arm. Sora let out a surprised yelp as he tumbled to the ground, then got his revenge by scooping a handful of wet sand and plastering it on Ven's arm.

Ven laughed, and Sora managed a small smile. It was good to see him acting more like himself, even if there was a deep heaviness to his eyes that never fully went away.

"So," Ven said, wiping the sticky goop off his skin, "what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Sora's smile faded, his expression growing serious. "Oh, that. Well, it's about Vanitas. When I was…" Sora faltered, then tried again. "He… wouldn't hurt me, even after Xehanort ordered him to."

Ven tried to process this information. Vanitas chose not to hurt someone he had a grudge against? That was huge. And not even after Xehanort had told him to?

Was it possible… could he actually be growing a conscience?

But something else stuck out to Ven too. "Hang on, Xehanort _ordered_ him to hurt you?"

Even though he was connected to Sora and knew how he was feeling, as per Terra's advice, he hadn't asked for the particulars of what had happened. Nor had he told anyone else. All he knew was what Xigbar and Xaldin had already told him. But he could do the math. Sora had been completely alone against Xehanort and his henchmen, at their mercy to torment as they pleased.

Ven wondered which was worse, his imagination or the reality.

"Yeah, but that's not what's important," Sora said, his voice strained and his face losing its color.

Ven took Sora's hand in his and pressed their palms together. It was bittersweet, how Sora's hand was slightly bigger than his now.

"That's where you're wrong," he said. "Our hearts were connected for so long that I can still feel echoes of what you're feeling. What you went through, all that pain, all that suffering – it matters to me."

Sora's face was ashen and his head drooped. "I'm sorry. I never wanted you to feel any of that."

Ven shook his head. "Don't be. You were all alone, and I'd like to think this was my small way of helping you. I may not be in your heart anymore, Sora, but I'll always be there for you. I promise."

He gave Sora's hand a gentle squeeze, and Sora's voice was low when he spoke. "Ven, I—"

"It's the least I can do. You protected me for all those years. You healed my heart and made it possible for me to return to my body. It's about time I helped you for once."

"You already have. More than you could ever know," Sora said softly.

"I mean it. If it ever gets to be too much, just connect our hearts and I'll take care of the rest."

They watched the sunset together after that, the golden light from the sun streaking the sky as it sank lower and lower.

"Ven, what will you do when you see Vanitas again?"

Ven sighed. "He hurt me before. He hurt you and Kairi, too, and a part of me is still mad about that. But if he's showing signs of turning, I have to reach him. I have to try. He and I were once the same person. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't give him a second chance. Especially since he stood up for you and warned me and Kairi about what Xehanort was gonna do."

"Then… you'll try to save him?"

Ven paused. "Yeah. At this point, he's just as much a victim of Xehanort as I am."

Sora seemed pleased with this answer. He settled back into the sand, putting his hands behind his head and looking up at the sky. "Ven, if you do reach him, we could win the entire battle. No, the entire war."

"Gee thanks, no pressure." Ven poked him and grinned.

Sora scratched his cheek. "Sorry, just trying to consider all our options here."

"That's good. We've gotta be ready for anything Xehanort throws at us. We can't let things end like they did the first time. We have to win."

They had Eraqus's plan, which Sora still didn't know about in case Xehanort tried to find out about it. But they still had to make the most of any additional advantages they might have.

Sora's voice was low, but a fire had lit in his eyes. "I know. And you know what, Ven? I think we just might."

It was good to see Sora acting hopeful again. To see him act like this fight might be winnable. Even if he didn't have the full picture, even after everything that had happened to him, he still trusted his friends and wanted to help however he could.

The sun had sunk over the horizon, and the stars were coming out. Ven stood and brushed sand off his clothes.

"It's a big day tomorrow. We should get going."

"It's a big day for you, you mean," Sora said, refusing to budge. "It's back to training for me."

"Right. Sora… are you really ready to say goodbye to Kairi?"

The time had finally come. Sora had told them he was feeling well enough for Kairi to leave on her journey, and Ven, Aqua, Donald, and Goofy would be accompanying her. Now whether Sora was actually feeling well enough for that was another question entirely.

Sora didn't answer Ven right away. He sat up, zoning out for a few moments as he considered Ven's question.

"Well," he finally said, "a part of me does wish we could be together. But I'm sure she felt the same way all the times I asked her to wait for me, and right now she has an important job to do." He paused, summoning a swirling sphere of dark energy in his right hand and grinning wryly. "How I am right now, I can't really help her with that."

Ven looked at the darkness that Sora had called forth so easily. Once that darkness had been such a tiny part of Sora's heart, and now it was big enough to answer his beck and call. Ven thought of his own darkness, which had once been so great that when Xehanort had pulled it out of him, it had created new life.

Sora had to get a handle on his darkness before something like that could happen. Before Xehanort could use it against him.

"You'll get control of your darkness, I know you will," Ven said. "Riku'll help you figure it out."

Sora sighed deeply and let the darkness disappear. "That's the idea, anyway."

* * *

Riku was tying his rowboat to the dock of the main island when Terra found him. It was dark outside, and the stars shone in the sky and reflected on the water. Yeah, Destiny Islands was small, and there wasn't a whole lot going on, but it was beautiful and it was home.

Funny how it took traveling the worlds for Riku to realize that.

"Riku, I know you'll be busy training Sora," Terra said, "but I was wondering if you could take on another student. After I go to Twilight Town, I mean."

Riku's eyes went wide as the implications of that statement sank in. The thought of his hero asking him for training was crazy.

"You want me to train you? But Terra, you were the one who gave me the Keyblade. How could I possibly—"

"I had a dream once, before all of this happened," Terra said, sitting on the dock and looking out to the sea. The wooden poles and boards creaked and groaned under his hulking weight. "I wanted to be a Keyblade Master. It never came true, but I haven't given up on it. You and Sora are the only ones who understand what I've been through, and… I can't really ask Sora for help. Not while he's still recovering himself."

Riku just stared at him. _When did I become the person everyone looked up to?_

Sora had always looked up to him, of course, but that was a far cry from his hero looking up to him. And not just that. He was training Naminé now, too. Well, when she wasn't off on some other world.

"Riku, I need your help with controlling the darkness inside of me. It's true, I'm free from Xehanort. But I never learned how to keep my darkness in check, which is why I failed my Mark of Mastery in the first place."

"And now you want to learn how."

Terra nodded. Well, that Riku could help with. He finished tying the boat to the dock and settled in next to Terra, rolling his pants up and dipping his feet in the cool water.

"You can't think of your darkness as evil. It's a part of you just as much as the light is. It's what you do with it that matters. Light can be used for evil just as much as darkness can."

Of course, Xehanort liked using the darkness, so that meant they ran into a lot more bad guys who used the darkness than the light, but the general principle still applied.

Terra frowned. "I think I see what you mean. Master Eraqus attacked Ven using the light, and that's what made me snap. I knew what he was doing was wrong, even though he was using the light to do it."

"Exactly. Like I said, your motive is everything. And once you stop trying to repress your darkness, you can start channeling it into something good." Riku summoned his Keyblade and demonstrated. He called on the darkness within him and pulled it out, using his Keyblade to transform it into orbs of light.

"You turned the darkness into light," Terra said, staring at the lights floating in the air around them with a look of amazement on his face. "I didn't even know that was possible."

Riku let his Keyblade disappear. "Once you can do it too, I think you'll have a good shot at your Mark of Mastery."

"Thank you, Riku." Terra stood and summoned his Keyblade. "Now how about you show me how?"

* * *

Terra was surprised to see Aqua was still awake when he got back to their room. Her legs were draped over the edge of the sofa, and she was reading an old, weather-beaten book called _Potions and Elixirs: An Advanced Guide._ Probably one of the master's old volumes, if Terra had to guess.

"You're back," she said, lifting her eyes up from the pages to meet his. She put her finger on her place and sat up. The strap of her tank top slipped down her shoulder, and she hastily straightened it. An innocent gesture, but it drew Terra's attention to her chest, and the thoughts he was having right now were not ones he wanted to have with Eraqus still stuck inside his head.

"Were you waiting up for me?" he asked. She had an early start tomorrow. He'd hate for her to start her journey tired.

"Not that long. I only got back half an hour ago. I was working with Kairi on teleportation magic. She asked me how to create heart barriers, too."

"For Sora, I'm guessing."

Aqua nodded as she set the book on the coffee table, then patted the spot on the sofa next to her. Terra sat down, being careful to leave space between them. When he craned his neck to look, the pages of the book were open to instructions on how to combine potions with barriers to make their protective qualities even more powerful.

Of course. Aqua was always looking for ways to improve her abilities.

He turned his attention back to her. "I talked to Riku. He's agreed to train me after I go to Twilight Town. We practiced tonight some, too."

Her expression softened. "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

"Yeah. Things went well." It had been a good start. They'd only stopped because it had been getting late and they were both tired.

A smile played at the corners of her lips. "And?"

"To tell you the truth, Aqua, I'd rather be going with you and Ven tomorrow."

He'd just been reunited with them, and they were already being separated again. Considering how things had gone the last time he'd been apart from them for too long, he couldn't help but be worried.

"I wish you were going with us, too," she said softly, putting her hand over his. He looked into her eyes and lost his train of thought. "But you'll have Sora and Riku to keep you company."

"I guess. I just wish I had my darkness under control already."

Aqua had never struggled with the darkness the way he had. He wondered sometimes what she saw in him. She was so good, so pure and full of light. His inability to keep his darkness in check must seem pathetic to someone like her.

She brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "You'll get it under control, I know you will. You just have to give yourself time. If Riku can do it, you can, too."

He laughed softly, and she tilted her head.

"You've changed," he clarified, taking her hand in his and massaging her knuckles between his fingers. For once she wasn't wearing her usual gloves, and her fingers, long and thin and elegant, were also calloused from years of fighting.

"Is that... a good thing?" she asked, her voice breathier than usual.

"Yes." He gazed into her eyes, and there was something very vulnerable in them. "The old you wouldn't have accepted my darkness at all."

She sighed. "I drove you away because I was blinded by my refusal to see the world in anything but black and white. If only I'd realized your heart was always in the right place."

She scooted closer, and he lifted his arm so she could snuggle up next to him.

"It's not like I was any better," he said, running his hand up and down her arm. "I assumed the worst about you when you were just trying to do the right thing."

What he'd seen as spying on him had been her merely trying to fulfill the Master's request. But of course he hadn't tried to talk to her about it. He'd just run off and let that come between them. No more of that.

Aqua laughed. "We're a mess, aren't we? Stubborn and impulsive to the end."

"Maybe," Terra said as she rested her head on his chest, "but at least we're a mess together."

"Yeah."

He smiled. It was nice to hear her confirm that they were together in something, even if it was just being a mess. Maybe, when the mess was all cleaned up, there would be something more, but for now, it was enough for Terra that they were figuring out this mess together.

* * *

The sun shone bright the following morning on the main island. It was one of those days without a single cloud in the sky. Donald and Goofy were talking to Riku, and Aqua and Ven were saying goodbye to Terra. It was time for Kairi's mission with the other Princesses of Heart. Donald, Goofy, Aqua, and Ven would be accompanying them, as would Merlin and even Master Yen Sid.

The hope was that Xehanort would be so distracted by their mission and the tantalizing prospect of capturing the princesses that he wouldn't realize the other mission to bring Eraqus back and put his plan into motion. While Xehanort knew Eraqus was alive inside Terra's heart, he still had no idea of the true prophecy or of Eraqus's plans. The days of reacting to Xehanort's moves were over. The side of light had taken the initiative for once.

But where was Sora? Kairi craned her neck to see if there was any sign of him. He'd promised he'd come see her off. Surely he hadn't overslept and—

"Kairi?"

She turned around, and there he was. He was panting for breath, and the hair on his forehead was damp even though it wasn't very hot outside yet. His hands were behind his back, and Kairi wondered what he was hiding.

"It's a present for you," he said, handing her a small package. "Open it."

When she did, several fancy envelopes and matching sheets of paper fell out. They were a lilac purple with gold trimming.

"These are really pretty," she said, leafing through them. They looked expensive, too. She hadn't really thought about it before, but she supposed Sora probably did have a lot of munny at his disposal now. The thought that he had used some of it to splurge on a gift for her made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"I want to write to you," he said. "We can't risk Xehanort finding out where the princesses are, so while you're gone, I'm not gonna use our heart connection to talk. Instead I'll write to you in your diary the way you wrote to me during your training. And if you want, you can use this stationary to send me letters on Radiant Garden."

Kairi smiled. It was a great plan, but she saw one potential flaw, considering who their friends were. "They might get read along the way, you know."

"Oh, I've already taken care of that. Donald was Merlin's student, remember? He taught me how to put a spell on the letters so only we can read them."

"Good." She paused and took a deep breath. "Sora, there's something I want to give to you too."

He tensed, and the sharp pang of being unwanted ran through her again. _He thinks I'm going to try something, doesn't he?_

She knew better than to do that. He was still so careful around her, as if she was a delicate flower that would get torn to shreds if he touched her too roughly. Their kiss was like a far off memory now. The best she could hope for was a hug.

She still had no idea how he felt about that kiss. He hadn't brought it up, and she was beginning to think she'd just imagined the way his eyes had briefly turned blue again afterwards.

"Don't worry, it's not like that," she said. He relaxed, but there was something akin to sadness in his eyes, too.

Well, at least she knew he missed their closeness as much as she did.

"I think I can put a protective light around your heart," she said. "Kind of like the barriers I can make in a fight, but longer lasting."

She'd practiced with Aqua last night, and now was the moment of truth. She stooped and placed the papers and envelopes on the ground, then reached her hand towards his heart, pausing to look up at him for his permission. The last thing she wanted to do was touch him when he didn't want to be touched.

He didn't stop her, so she placed her hand against his chest. His heartbeat was there, steady as ever, but it sped up at her contact. She took a deep breath and focused. Light flowed through her and into him, going around his heart and forming a protective barrier.

"There," she said, allowing her hand to linger a little while longer. "Now maybe Xehanort won't have free access to what's inside that heart of yours anymore."

She lifted her hand, but before she could let it fall to her side, he caught it and pulled her to him. His arms went around her and she let herself melt in his embrace. For a moment, the rest of the world seemed to dissolve away around them.

Ever since he'd found out about what had happened to her when she was a child, the few times they had hugged had felt like he was trying to comfort her, and this time was no different. She imagined how she would feel if she were forced to watch what had happened to him, and she could understand why.

"It's not my heart, not anymore," he said, his voice so low only she could hear it. "It's yours, remember? Has been, for a long time."

She hugged him tighter at the reminder. He wasn't making it easy to leave, not at all. "Sora—"

"Never forget," he said softly. "I'm always with you."

She leaned back, the words of the familiar promise warming her heart. "Hey, isn't that my line?"

He shook his head. "For once, I'm the one who'll be waiting. So this time, I get to say it." He brought her back into his arms, holding her as if he couldn't bear to let her go. "Stay safe. I miss you already."

The longer they lingered in each other's arms, the less Kairi wanted to say goodbye. "I don't have to leave just yet, you know," she said. "If you want me to stay with you a little longer, I can."

He leaned back and gave her a sad smile. "Kairi, if I had it my way, we would never be apart. But the worlds need you. You've got an important job to do, and it would be selfish to ask you to stay with me instead."

"Selfishness isn't always such a bad thing, you know." A part of her wished he _would_ be selfish every now and then. He was too selfless for his own good. But it was also one of the things that had drawn her to him in the first place.

Love was such a complicated thing sometimes.

"Then I will be selfish," he said, "but not until after all of this is over."

Kairi sighed. He might as well have said they could never be together. "But remember what I told you? It'll never be over."

He shook his head again. "You're wrong. It will be over because we're gonna end it. And on that day, you'll get to see just how selfish I can be."

Something about his tone made her heart race and her face flush. She knew his guilt and shame were making it difficult for him to be open with her, so the fact that he was even trying was huge.

A part of her deep down was also glad for the confirmation that the lack of closeness between them wasn't because he didn't want her anymore. Not at all. There was always just something else getting in their way.

What she wouldn't give to tear down every last barrier keeping them apart.

When she'd recovered enough to speak, she said, "Good. It's a promise." For now she could handle being separated. But if they really did win, if they really did defeat Xehanort, she refused to let anything else keep her and Sora from being together.

It was good to finally hear he felt the same.

They hugged one last time before saying goodbye. The look on his face as she walked away was very much like it had been when they'd been separated as the worlds had been restored.

She hoped the separation would be much shorter this time.


	26. Chapter 26 - Plan

Chapter 26 – Plan

Naminé didn't know what to do.

They'd been back at Twilight Town for a while now, resting and recuperating for the final battle. A few Organization members had dropped by a few days ago, but Mickey, Xion, and Roxas had fought them off as she'd changed their memories. The problem had been taken care of and their enemies sent on their way to report to Xehanort that Naminé wasn't here.

But they hadn't heard any word from Aqua's group, and she was beginning to worry. Xion had thrown herself into her training to get her mind off of everything, but Naminé wasn't so lucky. Riku wasn't here, and that left her a lot of time to think and worry.

The little firebird chick was her sole distraction from it all. She'd smuggled it inside her room and had made a little nest out of blankets for it in the corner. Blankets which now had a few, um, holes in them, courtesy of the little bird's habit of spitting sparks from its beak and tail.

She went to it now, bringing it a cup of water she'd refilled from the bathroom sink.

"There you go." She patted its tiny fuzzy head as it guzzled the refreshing liquid. It had already grown since she'd first adopted it. She wondered how long it would take to reach its full size. What would she even do with it at that point? Find some uninhabited world to unleash it on?

There was a soft knock at her door.

"Who is it?" she called, untangling her legs and going to the door.

"Just me." Sure enough, Roxas's forlorn face was there to greet her when she opened the door. But at least he had a plastic container filled with various insects he'd caught for the firebird. They'd done a lot of experimenting lately, trying to find something it would eat.

"Come in." He followed her back into the room and settled in next to the firebird.

"We really should think of a name for it," he said, plucking a bug out of the container and dangling it above the firebird's beak. It snapped it out of his fingers and swallowed, then looked at him expectantly. He gave it another one, and then another one.

"How about Ignis?" Naminé suggested.

"Hmmm, Ignis." Roxas attempted a smile. "It fits. We can call him Iggy for short." He turned back to the little bird. "Hear that, Iggy? How's that for your name?"

The firebird squawked and bobbed its tiny head.

"I think he likes it," Roxas said, ruffling his fuzzy feathers.

"Roxas, how are you feeling today?" Naminé asked. She'd asked him every day since they'd gotten back. The first day he'd been downright volatile, but little by little his condition had improved.

He sat back on his feet and sighed. Iggy hopped up into his lap, and he absentmindedly stroked his head. "A little better. But I hate this. I hate standing around here waiting. Sora's hurting and Axel's been taken captive, and there's nothing I can do to fix it. Not unless I—

Naminé gave him a warning look, and his shoulders slumped.

"I know, I know. I promised you and Xion I wouldn't."

They all knew that challenging Xehanort now would mean their capture, but it didn't make Lea's loss hurt any less. And if it weren't for Naminé and Xion both begging him to stay, Roxas would have gone off and tried to rescue him, regardless of the odds.

"I just hate feeling so useless," he said. "Isn't there anything we can do? Axel never gave up on me. He always came back for me, but I've just abandoned him."

Naminé shook her head. "You haven't abandoned him. You're just waiting for the right time to rescue him. You know he wouldn't want you to get captured for his sake."

"And that's the problem. My friends have sacrificed enough for me as it is," Roxas said, a deep heaviness in his eyes and his voice. "Xion, Sora, and now Axel. Isn't it time I helped them for once?"

"You will," Naminé said, wondering just who she was trying to convince. "You just have to wait until the time is right."

"Yeah, well, waiting really sucks."

That Naminé could agree with. "I know what you mean," she said softly. She'd talked to Kairi a little, in her dreams, but that was about the extent of what she could do right now.

He sighed again and shook his head. "At least you can do something with your memory powers."

She pressed her fingers together. "You're right. I could make Sora forget. But I don't think he'd want me to."

She knew better than to offer. This was something he had to face head on. And she knew he could, it was just going to take time.

Besides, ever since the big fight and her loss of control… well, using her powers… she'd only done it when it was necessary, to keep them safe and hidden.

Roxas understood. Ever since their return here, they'd spent a lot of silent moments just holding and comforting each other. No words, no talking, just resting in each other's arms. He set Iggy aside now and that was Naminé's cue. When he held his arms out to her, she snuggled into his embrace and sighed.

These moments together were meant for comfort, but Naminé found herself yearning for more with each passing day. Being this close to him, smelling his scent and feeling his arms around her, stirred something deep within her. She wanted more of him, more of whatever these feelings were.

His voice was like music to her ears. "Naminé, how's Sora doing?"

Naminé chewed on her lip. She couldn't help but see Sora's heart and all the ones connected to it, but it still felt a lot like prying to share that information with other people.

"He's… better." His connection to Riku was largely the same as it had been before, if not stronger. Which meant they must have talked things through.

And Kairi… the links to her went so deep inside his heart that when they'd been torn, so had it. But the damage was already being repaired, the soft light from her heart reaching his. Naminé had first noticed it a few days ago, and with each passing day he was doing better.

"It's not like anything you can do," Roxas said, adjusting his position so he could look her in the eye, "but… I can kinda feel when something's wrong with him, and he can feel when something's wrong with me. It happened when he met Hayner, Pence, and Olette for the first time, then again when I met him in his dream. I thought that when we became separate people, that would be the end of it. But it happened when Xehanort was possessing him, too. Now I don't know what to think."

"Maybe your hearts have some kind of special connection."

Roxas considered this. "Maybe." He closed his eyes and concentrated. "See, right now I can tell that he's hurting, but it's more like a dull ache, and not the overwhelming pain from before."

Naminé nodded. "That's a good start." Roxas couldn't see as clearly, but he still had a fuzzy inkling of the world that made up her reality. Perhaps she could help him hone his ability.

"How about you?" he asked, opening his eyes. "Do you feel any sort of special connection to Kairi?"

"Yes. I'm her shadow, remember?"

Kairi's heart had nothing but light in it, but Naminé's wasn't like that. She was the shadow to Kairi's light.

He caught a strand of her hair and twirled his finger around it. "I don't know, you feel pretty real to me."

The look in his eyes was making her heart pound. She twined their fingers together and scooted closer. "How about now?"

His breathing got heavier, and he let go of her hand so he could caress her face. He opened his mouth to say something when there was a knock on the door.

"Roxas? Naminé? Are you in there?"

"Xion?" Roxas untangled himself from Naminé's embrace and went to the door. Naminé hastily stood and sat on the couch, trying to make herself look presentable. She and Roxas were still trying to be careful about Xion's feelings.

"What's up?" Roxas asked.

Xion was looking considerably more cheerful than she had been an hour ago at breakfast. She didn't even seem all that bothered by the fact that she'd stumbled in on them alone together.

"Come quick! Terra's here!"

* * *

Xion led Roxas and Naminé down into the basement of the Old Mansion where Terra was waiting for them. Roxas couldn't help but tense up at the sight of the eerie light from the flickering screens, but then Naminé found his hand and gave it a squeeze and that made it easier to deal with coming back down here.

The ceiling was almost too low for Terra, and Mickey did the smart thing and brought a chair over for him. When he sat down, it creaked and groaned but held steady.

"Terra, how is he? How's Sora?" Xion asked, settling into a wheelie computer chair of her own. Roxas also found a chair for Naminé before sitting on a dusty old stool.

"He's doing better," Terra said, attempting a smile. "He's not fully back to himself yet, but give him time."

That was good to hear. It took a while for Terra to explain everything after that about Eraqus, especially the whole time travel ordeal. When Roxas stole a glance at Naminé and Xion, they both looked as confused as he felt. And then the mention of a prophecy had everyone speculating.

"Sounds like we're gonna lose," Roxas said. "That's what light expiring sounds like to me anyway. Sheesh, should we even bother putting up a fight?"

"Yes," Terra said, but it wasn't really Terra. It was someone else's voice speaking through him, and someone else's heart creating the words. They all started and gave each other uneasy looks before realizing who was speaking.

"Not even I know the full prophecy yet. I won't until I first go back in time to hide it, and then return to the present to find it," Terra-but-not-Terra continued. "All I know is that there is more to it than what Xehanort knows, and in that we must put our faith for now."

Ansem the Wise turned around in his chair and stroked his beard. "So you really are still here with us after all this time, Master Eraqus."

"Yes," Master Eraqus replied through Terra.

Ansem the Wise turned his attention back to the blue computer screens. "And I suppose our job here is to prepare a body for you."

"If it's not too much trouble." Terra glanced at Roxas, and his voice went back to being his own. "Riku said you made bodies for Roxas, Naminé, and Xion this way."

"That is correct. But no one here has the power to dive into the heart. We need either Riku or Sora for that. Ideally Riku, as we must not risk Xehanort using Sora to discover our plans."

"Riku's teaching Sora how to control his darkness right now. I came here today so you could get the information you need to create the data for Eraqus's body. The actual heart dive will have to happen later."

"Understood." Ansem was about to address the rest of them when Roxas brought up something that no one had pointed out yet.

"Where's the Key to Return Hearts? You know, the thing Sora stabbed himself with three times to save us all? Don't we need that too?"

Roxas hadn't forgotten what Sora's bravery had cost him, and Terra had a pained expression on his face at the mention of what had happened. Either because he had heard about Ven's rescue, or he was not looking forward to stabbing himself to save Eraqus. Maybe both.

"I have it," Mickey said. "After Xion's rescue, Sora gave it to me."

Well, that was a relief. They were supposed to keep the prophecy and the true plan about Eraqus a secret from Sora, and that would be really hard to do if they had to somehow sneak the Key away from him.

"Terra, there is one more thing," Naminé said, pressing her fingers together. "Um, when Sora rescued Roxas and Xion, he had help. Kairi healed his heart as it was happening so it didn't hurt so much, but…"

"I'm not going to be so lucky, I know," Terra said grimly. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes. We need Master Eraqus. He has to go back in time and steal the second part of the prophecy before Xehanort can see it."

Things fell into place more or less after that. Terra stayed long enough to do the necessary scans and tests, then it was time for him to meet up with Sora and Riku on Radiant Garden. But before he could leave, Roxas pulled him aside.

"Terra, when Xehanort had you… did you know what was going on?"

Terra was silent for a moment. "Yes," he finally said, his jaw clenching. "I remember everything."

Oh. Roxas didn't know what to say to that, because there wasn't anything to say, really. Remembering wasn't always a good thing.

"Roxas, if he's anything like me, Lea's doing everything he can to hold onto himself," Terra said, cutting right to the heart of what Roxas was really asking. "Don't give up hope. We can free him from Xehanort, and we will."

"Yeah. I just… I hate sitting here doing nothing. We didn't hesitate to rescue Sora, but it feels like we've just abandoned Axel."

Roxas knew what rescuing Axel would cost. He knew that they had to wait to try to save him till the final battle. But how much of Axel would still be left by the time they saw him again?

Terra's face grew very serious. "We haven't abandoned him, Roxas. He knows that. When he sees you and his other friends again, he'll fight for control with everything he has."

Roxas could only hope Terra was right.

* * *

"Hey, looks like my old seat's still here. Thanks for saving it for me." Xehanort, no, Lea teleported onto it – _was it always going to feel strange, having two hearts crammed inside of him_ – and took a seat.

Vexen regarded him coldly. "We did nothing of the sort. It is by chance that it is empty."

"Chance, you say?" Luxord asked, tossing his dice in his hand. "My bets were always on Axel rejoining us. So much for your failed attempt at redemption. Once an assassin, always an assassin."

Lea's eyes narrowed. "For the last time, the name's Lea—"

"Yeah, yeah, we've got it memorized," Vanitas muttered, rolling his eyes.

Lea resisted the urge to send his Keyblade flying at them both. He understood now why Isa's personality had changed so much. In his own heart all of his darker impulses had been amplified. It was cold and he was snappy and angry and spouting scathing comments left and right at the people around him.

He was becoming the worst possible version of himself. That or morphing into someone else entirely. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out against Xehanort's slow but inevitable takeover.

At least he was holding out better than Sora had. To be fair, Lea had a lot more experience fighting through the darkness to cling to whatever he had left of himself. Years and years of it.

 _And for whatever reason, Xehanort's going easy on me. At least compared to Sora._

That was one of the unexpected side effects of possession. He had access to some of Xehanort's memories now. To the things Xehanort wanted him to see.

Like Sora's torture.

It was strange. For Xehanort, suffering always served a means to an end. He didn't hurt people for the fun of it or for the sake of hurting them. And he preferred the slow descent into darkness, the gradual loss of control to the abrupt breaking of his victim's heart.

But with Sora, he'd had limited time to get him to succumb. And he'd enjoyed testing a new way to get someone's heart to fall to the darkness. Sora had just been another experiment to him.

Ugh, it made Lea sick just thinking about it. But at least the sickness helped him focus. Focus on what he needed to do. Which was good, because he was running out of time. Running out of time to hold onto himself. Running out of time to help Isa.

Oh, speak of the devil. His former friend had just appeared in the solid white room in a swirl of black smoke.

"Where are they?" he demanded. He grabbed Lea's arm and yanked him off his chair, teleporting him to another part of the castle.

"Where are who?"

Isa's eyes flashed. "Don't play games with me. Where are the Princesses of Heart?"

Lea shrugged. "I dunno. Sounds like the old wizards thought it would be a good idea to move them, now that yours truly is on your side. Good thing I don't know about their backup plan."

He really didn't have any idea where the princesses were now. Xehanort had forcibly accessed his memories earlier to find out where they'd been before, but if he had to guess, Merlin and Yen Sid had probably had the good sense to move them.

"You had better be telling the truth, Lea."

Lea allowed himself a small smile at the use of his real name. "I am, but Xehanort will find out either way. How about Mickey's group? Have any luck finding them yet?"

Several of the Seekers had come back a few days ago from a search mission, looking banged up but with nothing to report. No Xion, no Roxas, no Mickey, and most telling of all, no Naminé.

Lea had a sneaking suspicion why that was.

 _Good old Naminé. If she plays her cards right, Xehanort will never find them._

Isa's eyes narrowed. "You're worried about them, aren't you? You're worried about your _friends._ "

"Yeah, of course. I'm guessing by your reaction that they're still safe. Thanks for the good news, it's the best I've heard all week."

Lea flashed him a grin, but Isa just glowered at him.

"Hey now, is that any way to look at a friend?" Lea said. "I stayed behind to bail you out of this mess, you know."

Isa quickly masked the surprise in his eyes, but not before Lea saw it. He put his hand on Isa's shoulder, and for once Isa didn't push him away.

"I mean, it's my fault we got into it in the first place," Lea said softly. "It's up to me to make it right."

For a moment, Isa's eyes flickered green again. Lea imagined his had, too. But then Isa's were back to yellow and Lea wondered what it would take to get his friend back for good, to get himself back before Xehanort took him over completely.

 _Roxas, or Sora, or Kairi or Xion or whoever, I'm counting on you._

 _Me and Isa… we're running out of time._


	27. Chapter 27 - Control

Chapter 27 – Control

"Again."

Sora groaned and picked himself off the sand, brushing stray clumps of it off his pants. He grabbed his damp jacket from the ground nearby and wiped his sweaty face on it.

They might be inside Merlin's Time Chamber, but Riku had used it to create an environment like home. And right now it was summer, and that meant it was really hot. Riku paused to take a swig from his battered water bottle, then wiped his mouth. Sora closed his eyes and tried to summon the darkness from deep within him. It was roiling underneath the surface, but he'd put such strong blocks around it that he couldn't access it except in small amounts.

Which was exactly the problem. The only time it was going to come out in larger amounts was if something, or someone, shattered those blocks and made him explode. And that was a recipe for a disaster. A very Heartless looking disaster, and after Xehanort's possession, Sora had the suspicion his Heartless form would probably be reaching Darkside levels at this point.

 _Great. The last thing we need is for me to turn into more of a monster than I already am._

Riku had been trying to help him find an outlet, but it hadn't been going too well. It didn't help that as much as Riku accused Sora of holding back, he was careful not to say anything to provoke him.

"Try thinking about a time when you were angry," Riku suggested. "Anger is a good conduit for darkness."

Well, that wasn't hard. All Sora had to do was picture what Xehanort had made him do to Kairi and Riku, and an entire volcano's worth of emotions erupted from deep within him. Add in Kairi's experimentation, and he was about ready to explode.

"Whatever you're doing, keep doing that. See that dark aura around you? That's a good sign."

Sora looked at his arms and legs. Sure enough, they were glowing with a purple-black energy. "Are you sure?" he asked, giving Riku a doubtful look.

"Yes. Keep thinking about whatever it was that made you upset."

"...Okay." _That sounds like terrible advice, Riku, but whatever._

"Now try to hit this." Riku held up an old wooden shield that looked like one of the ones they'd used to spar with as kids.

"With my Keyblade?"

"With whatever. Just… think about that thing that made you angry, and imagine it leaving your body and colliding with the shield. Let it flow out of you."

Sora raised his eyebrow. "You know, the more you talk, Riku, the more it sounds like you actually want me to become evil."

Riku groaned. "Just shut up and do it, Sora. We have to start somewhere."

Sora stared at the shield and imagined it was Xehanort. Darkness shot out of his hands and shattered the shield into hundreds of tiny wooden splinters. Thankfully Riku had the sense to throw it in the air and jump out of the way a moment before that happened.

He took one look at the ruined shield and sighed. "No, no, I told you to _release_ the darkness, not to use it to attack."

"What's the difference?" Sora asked. He didn't see why it mattered.

"Releasing the darkness lets it leave your body. It's like…" Riku paused, trying to think of a good analogy. "It's like how you feel better after you cry. It's a conduit for your negative feelings. It lets them out before they have time to build up and explode, destroying everything around you."

Sora nodded. "Makes sense." He always felt better after crying.

"But using darkness to attack," Riku continued, "is completely different. You're drawing on the darkness again, but this time it's not so you can release it. It's so it builds up inside of you so much that it fills you and controls you. Maybe not at first. Maybe you'll still have some control. But it always takes over in the end, and then you're the tool instead of the other way around. Don't let that happen. Make darkness the tool instead."

The way Riku explained it matched Sora's experiences with his own Heartless form. But he still had a question.

"How do you turn the darkness into light?"

Riku picked another wooden shield off the ground. "One step at a time, Sora. We'll get there eventually. It's just going to take time." He took one look at Sora's pout and rolled his eyes. "You can't expect to figure this all out right off the bat. And if you push yourself too hard, it's just going to blow up in your face."

Sora sighed. "Fair enough." It was just hard not to feel like this was all a waste of time when Kairi was in danger.

 _If you weren't so weak, if you weren't such a failure, you could be protecting her right now. Like you should be. Like you want to be._

Ever since Kairi had put her barrier around his heart, he hadn't heard so much as a peep from Xehanort. But a new voice had replaced him, a shadowy Sora with yellow eyes and dark thoughts.

Sora had no idea what to make of it. Was it simply the next stage of his Heartless form? It sure looked like it, except that it could talk. Heartless couldn't talk.

 _Is this my true self? Or is all the darkness inside me coming alive?_

He thought about Ven and Vanitas. Was it possible he could create someone like Vanitas from his darkness? He shuddered. No. That separation had nearly killed Ven. It was unnatural, and only through a miracle had Ven's life been spared.

 _Then that means… this darkness is a part of me. I have to embrace it._

He thought of its creepy smile, its yellow eyes, its thirst for blood.

 _I don't want to._

He sighed again and raked his hand through his hair. This was going to be a long, hard battle.

* * *

When Terra finally joined up with them the next day, Sora knew better than to ask where he'd been.

 _Probably has something to do with the main plan, and we can't risk me knowing._ _Still, ever since Kairi put that barrier around my heart, I haven't heard anything from Xehanort. Maybe it would be okay for me to know._

Better let it sit for a few more days though, just in case. Thankfully, Riku had had enough of home's sweaty, sticky heat to last for a while and had transformed the Time Chamber into the clearing of a nice cool wood instead.

"Alright, Terra," Riku said, "show me what we practiced back on Destiny Islands."

He brought out another one of those wooden shields again, and Terra summoned his Keyblade. Sora watched as Terra bit his lip and furrowed his brow, then darkness shot out of his Keyblade and hit the shield. An instant later, that darkness became orbs of light and floated up to the ceiling.

Terra wore a triumphant look on his face, and Riku likewise grinned. "Great. That's great. I'll start working with you on the next step." He turned towards Sora. "But first, Sora, your turn. Remember what I told you before."

Sora summoned his Keyblade and pointed it at the shield. Nothing happened.

Riku cleared his throat and lowered the shield to his side. "Sora, you have to access the darkness."

Sora took a deep breath. "I know. It's just not very fun, thinking about my worst memories."

"Doesn't have to be the worst ones, just something that makes you upset."

 _Something that makes me upset. Something that makes me upset._

He thought of Kairi's kiss, of the way Xehanort had taunted her and told her it hadn't worked afterwards. The hurt look on her face, the tears in her eyes.

 _Yeah, that memory will work. It'll do just fine._

Riku lifted the shield up again. "There you go, easy does it—"

In retrospect, maybe that memory hadn't been such a good idea. The darkness finally came out, but it wouldn't stop. It just kept coming and coming and growing and growing.

One thing spilled into another and _why are Terra and Riku looking at me like that, why do they both have their Keyblades out and pointed right at me? They're attacking me and it hurts, it hurts and I have to get them to stop._

But his voice wouldn't come out and his arms were too long and they were pitch black and thick as a tree trunk, those weren't his arms, they couldn't be. And Terra and Riku were small, too small. He was shorter than both of them but he must be in the air now because they were on the ground and his eyes were so far away from them.

None of this made any sense and he didn't understand.

"Sora! Pull it together!" Riku shouted, cartwheeling out of the way as Sora lifted his hands to his head and let out a bellow.

 _What's wrong with my voice? What's happening to me?_

Terra finally let his Keyblade disappear. "Riku, I don't think this is working!"

"We could really use Kairi's help right now," Riku muttered. He threw his Keyblade to the ground and turned to Sora.

"Sora, this isn't you! Think about something, anything to help you calm down! Kairi, home, your favorite chocolate, anything!"

Sora tried to answer, but the words wouldn't come out. He just made a horrible growling noise instead.

"Think, Sora, think!" Terra shouted up to him. "The last time this happened, what helped you calm down?"

Kairi. Kairi did. Her arms wrapped around him, even though he was a monster and had no business being anywhere near her. Her voice, gentle and firm and insistent.

" _Come back to me."_

Riku's face lit up. "That's it! Keep thinking about whatever it is you're thinking about right now!"

The room was swaying all around him and he felt cold and sick now. He focused on Kairi's voice, letting it lead him back to the ground, back to himself. The grassy ground was solid and real beneath his feet and he collapsed into a pile onto it.

When he lifted his hands, they were his again. He brought them to his face and felt eyes and nose and lips and chin. Human.

"Sora—"

He ignored Riku and Terra. He ignored them and fled, fled out of the chamber and past Yuffie and Aerith and Cid, out of Merlin's house and past all the people and their curious expressions, past all of the cobblestone streets and thatched houses to the castle. He didn't stop until he was completely out of breath, then stumbled against a stone wall in some abandoned garden and slumped against it.

 _I'm a monster. Xehanort's gone but I'm still a monster._

He must have said that part out loud because somehow Terra had found him. He crouched next to him on a spot where the overgrown grass was reclaiming the walls and pavement piece by piece.

"No, you're not," Terra simply said.

Wrong. "You saw me back there. You saw what I became."

The dark Sora nodded his agreement in the back of Sora's head, but Terra wasn't so easy to convince. He sighed and shook his head. "You transformed into a Darkside, it's true. But that doesn't make you a monster."

Sora removed his hand from his face and glared. "Really? Then what does, exactly?"

"Sora, the darkness inside of you is out of control, but you're not a monster. The only monster I know is Xehanort."

Sora sat up and plucked a dandelion from the ground, then another one. He started tying the stems together in a chain like he and Kairi always used to do back home. "Easy for you to say, when you're getting control of your darkness so quickly."

It hadn't taken him any time at all to follow Riku's advice. He'd done what Sora couldn't and had made it look easy.

Terra chuckled at that. "It hasn't been quick, not at all. I've been trying to deal with this for years. You're just getting to see the later stages of it."

Sora added another flower to his chain. "How do you and Riku do it? There's just too much, and it comes out all at once and I can't control it."

 _You don't have to control it. Let me control it instead,_ came the dark Sora's whispered advice. Sora ignored him and tried to focus on Terra instead.

Terra plucked some dandelions of his own and handed them over to Sora to add to his chain. "You've already taken the first step by acknowledging it exists. It took me years to do that. I tried to hide it and push it down and that only makes it worse."

Sora sighed and rubbed his eyes. "So it exists. Great. Now what do I do?"

Terra was silent for a moment. "You have to think about why it exists."

"That's easy. It's because I have too much anger and hatred inside of me." And it wasn't about to go anywhere, from the looks of it. Not when it had become so lifelike, setting up its residence in Sora's mind and heart like it belonged there.

Terra summoned his Keyblade and traced its blue handle. "But why? What do you hate? Why are you angry?"

Sora couldn't help but think that Terra sounded a little bit like Xemnas right now. Or maybe Xemnas was the one who sounded like Terra.

He set his flower chain down and furrowed his brow. "Xehanort, I guess. I'm angry about what's he's done. I'm angry about what he made me do."

"Sora, your anger at Xehanort. Do you think it's good or bad?"

Sora raised his eyebrow. "It turned me into a Darkside, so I'm gonna go with bad."

"But you're angry because of all the terrible things he's done, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah."

Terra let his Keyblade disappear and sat up straighter. "Did you ever stop and think that maybe you should be angry? That it would be wrong for you not to be?"

Sora tied the last two stems together to complete the dandelion chain. When they were kids, this was the point when he would have crowned Kairi as his princess and she would have crowned him as her prince. But with no Kairi around, he didn't really know what to do with it.

"Yeah," he finally said. "Trust me, I know I have every right to be angry. That's not my problem. My problem is that all this anger has nowhere to go. It's just stewing around inside me till it explodes and turns me into a monster."

Terra nodded. "That's why Riku's trying to help you find an outlet for it. Sora, is there anything you can redirect it towards?"

Sora tossed the dandelion chain over his shoulder and shrugged. "The Heartless? That's what I always did before. Just took it out on them. Maybe not the best way to handle it, but at least I wasn't hurting my friends."

"I meant more along the lines of dealing with the source."

Sora raised his eyebrow. "Xehanort? If I attacked him in my current state, he'd probably try to take control of me again. And… as much as I hate him, there's something else I hate more."

Terra leaned closer. "Yes? What would that be?"

Sora leaned against the wall and sighed. The memories of his friends' pain came back to him, the pain he couldn't prevent, the pain he couldn't stop.

"I hate it when my friends hurt. I hate how what Xehanort's done has led to so much pain. I want to make it stop, but I can't."

"Who says you can't? Take all that anger and rage you feel and let it drive you to put an end to their hurt and yours. Let it motivate you to fight, but don't let it be the reason why."

Terra's words reminded him of what Kairi had said. Of how he'd realized that maybe he could make good come of this.

Was it possible he could make something good come of his anger and rage, too? He pulled out Kairi's lucky charm and stared at it, caressing the ridged shells between his fingers.

"Turn the bad into good," he said softly. "Turn the darkness into light."

"Exactly. Fight for the sake of your friends. And Sora?"

He lifted his head again. "Yeah?"

Terra ruffled his hair, just like he always ruffled Ven's. "Fight for your own sake, too."

* * *

The next day and then the next came and went. The days kept spilling into each other until a few weeks had gone by. Terra made steady progress, but after the Darkside incident Sora had volunteered to mostly stick to the sidelines and watch for now.

The dark Sora inside his head wasn't pleased about this, not one bit. It wanted to fight and destroy, but Sora wouldn't let it. It sat there, sulking but silent except for the occasional request to let its bloodlust be satisfied.

 _What are you waiting for? Why don't you just go after Xehanort now?_ it whispered. _You want to kill him, don't you? He's human. He doesn't stand a chance against your Heartless form._

Sora rolled his eyes. _If you think the way to win is to use the darkness, you're wrong. I won't ever beat Xehanort at his own game. I have to change the rules and fight him on my own terms instead._

He thought back to the way Kairi and Riku had freed him from Xehanort, how he'd freed himself. _And for your information, there_ is _something stronger than the darkness. It's the one advantage I have._

It was the dark Sora's turn to roll its eyes. _What, the light? Your friends?_ It made a gagging noise. _Love?_

Sora let it keep pestering him but didn't answer. He turned his attention back to Terra and Riku.

In the last few weeks, Terra had moved beyond small stationary targets to moving ones, then to humanoid enemies, then to sparring with Riku directly. He had adjusted pretty well; about nine times out of ten he was able to do what Riku told him to.

Since Sora wasn't doing much of anything besides watching, he'd had a lot of time to think. Think and write. He hadn't forgotten his promise to Kairi, and he'd made an effort to write her often. Pulling out her diary, he looked over one of his earlier letters to her to stave off the boredom. No letters from her had arrived yet, but with the wonky way time worked in here, that wasn't really a surprise.

 **Dear Kairi,**

 **As the days go by without you here, I can't help but wonder. Is this how you always felt when I was gone? Always wondering what I was up to, when I was going to come home to you, hoping and believing I was safe even though you didn't know for sure?**

 **If so, then I'm sorry. Waiting is a lot harder than I thought it would be, and I've asked you to do an awful lot of waiting for me. I guess it was only fair that I had to do some waiting for you for once.**

 **But geez, this is difficult. I know I have training with Riku and Terra to keep me busy, but it's not the same as having you here. Before, when I was on my own journeys, there was so much going on that it was only in the quiet moments that I really had time to think. And believe me, I did. I thought about you a lot. And now that I have all the time in the world, that means you're always on my mind.**

 **Riku complains about how much trouble I'm having focusing. And the skills he's trying to teach me… I don't know what it is, but I can't pick them up. You know how I am. Normally I learn new stuff pretty quickly, but ever since Xehanort possessed me, it's like there's this mental fog I can't break through.**

 **Maybe it's the after effects. I remember the things Xehanort showed me to get my heart to succumb. How could I ever forget any of that. But my memories of what happened next are foggy. I mean, it's probably for the best. Remembering everyone else's pain is bad enough. I really don't want to remember my own on top of it.**

 **Especially not when I look at the fading scars on my arms and wrists.**

 **At least I'm not having nightmares anymore. I haven't seen Xehanort in my dreams again since you put your barrier around my heart. Thank you for that. I am hearing a new voice though, a shadowy version of myself that says my darkest thoughts. Not sure what to really make of that.**

 **Anyway, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about. From what you said before, it kind of sounds like you had memory loss similar to mine about your experimentation. Is it bad that that makes me relieved?**

 **Part of me wonders if I should just ask Naminé to make all my memories go away, because then I wouldn't have to deal with the pain that comes with them anymore. But I can't do that. This is all a part of me now and I have to face it.**

 **About my training, we had an incident a couple days ago. I lost control and transformed into a Darkside.**

 **Yeah, you read that right. It was pretty bad. The good news is that Terra at least is getting control of his darkness. He and Riku managed to get me under control by telling me to think about you. No one got hurt, thankfully, and at least one of us is making progress.**

 **I've transformed into a Heartless-like creature before that I call Anti-Form. You've seen it once, when we fought Vanitas. It happens when my emotions take over and I temporarily succumb to the darkness within me. I guess it's an after effect of turning into a Heartless. Maybe it'll always be a part of me.**

 **But this time was a whole new level. It felt awful. I was just a ball of pure hatred and rage and I never want to go through that again.**

 **How do I get this out of me before it turns me into a monster? How do I get rid of all this anger before it takes control of me? I don't want to live like that. Terra said it's a path he went down and he doesn't want me to walk it.**

 **There's so much more to me than my anger and hurt. All the other feelings inside me, all my memories, all my hopes, all my dreams— I don't want to become an empty shell driven only by my hatred and rage. My heart's a lot bigger than that. But the anger and rage and hate are still a part of me and I can't just wish them away. I have to deal with them somehow if I want to be of any use against Xehanort.**

 **But enough about me. Tell me about your adventures. Hearing about them will help cure some of my restlessness. Or at least I hope it will. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to settle down and have a normal life after this. I think that a part of me is always going to want to go off on a new adventure.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Sora**

"Sora?" came Riku's voice.

Sora snapped the book shut. "Sorry."

Riku held the wooden shield in his hand. "Terra's taking a break right now. Do you want to try again?"

Sora tucked the diary into his pocket and sighed. "Not really. I still don't feel any better today."

 _No thanks to you, jerk._

The dark Sora merely grinned.

Riku lowered the shield to his side, and his mouth formed a tight line. "I won't force you, but Sora, we have got to figure something out."

"I know." The worry lines around Riku's eyes were especially prominent today. Sora wondered if he could lay claim to the one at the corner of his right eye and start calling it mini-Sora. He was pretty sure it had appeared because of him, anyway.

Riku raked a hand through his hair and sighed. "Maybe we should just let you wail on a bunch of Heartless or something. Might help you get it out of your system if you have something to attack. I'm sure the Restoration Committee could use the extra help."

Something to attack. Something to attack.

"Not Heartless," Sora said as he stood and walked to the door. "I've got another idea."

Riku gave him a concerned look that made mini-Sora extra prominent. "Sora?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine. There's just something I have to do. I'll be back when I'm done, I promise."

* * *

While the Restoration Committee was working hard to restore Radiant Garden, there were certain parts of the world that weren't really safe or under control yet.

The castle was one of them. Ansem's study was about the only part of it that had been successfully reclaimed, and Sora knew what he was looking for wasn't in there.

As he fought his way through the occasional group of Heartless in the castle's maze of corridors and halls, some instinct told him to go deeper underground. Time lost all meaning as he went deeper and deeper, searching for what he knew must still be here.

At last he stumbled upon a staircase that led him into a familiar hallway. He'd been here before, or at least a version of this place, at the End of the World, and then again in Xehanort's memories. There was the doorway up ahead. He took a deep breath and placed his hands on it. They were shaking so badly it took him a few moments to muster enough force to get the door open.

There it was. Just like in Xehanort's memories. The same awful tank and machine, still here after all this time. The place of Kairi's torment, and who knows how many other people's, too.

Sora's blood boiled. The darkness bubbled up from deep within him, and this time he didn't try to stop it. It was right to be angry. It was right to be horrified. This place represented everything he despised. Cruelty, injustice, suffering. All the things he wanted to put an end to. It was okay to be angry about those things.

 _Destroy. Destroy,_ the dark Sora whispered, and for once Sora agreed. His Keyblade appeared in his grasp and the darkness came out of him like a tidal wave. It swept up the tank and engulfed it. And as it did, Sora could feel each swell and lull of it as it crashed against the tank. It was a part of him and that meant he could take the tank inside himself. He took all the pain and horror it represented and swallowed it whole. Then, with one last great effort, he tore it from the ground and shattered the glass into thousands of pieces.

When he glimpsed his reflection in a broken piece of glass at his feet, his eyes were yellow and his face inky black. But all around him orbs of light floated through the air. He held out his smoking hand, and one of them landed on it. That light spread up his arm and restored him to his rightful appearance.

It was strange. All through that time, he'd had control. He and his dark side had been in perfect agreement. The darkness had even obeyed his commands.

 _Is this what Riku's been trying to teach me all along?_

* * *

Riku stared at the creature of darkness before him and took a deep breath. This hadn't been what he'd expected, exactly, when Sora had said he had something to show them.

"Um, Sora? Can you hear me?"

The creature gazed at him with steady yellow eyes and nodded, and Terra started. Well, Riku couldn't really blame him. Sora's Darkside incident still had everyone spooked.

"Watch this," Sora said, and Riku just about jumped out of his skin. Sora had never spoken in his Heartless form before, and it was unnerving, to say the least. His voice was deeper and had an animalistic growl to it, but it was undeniably his.

But that didn't compare to the shock Riku felt when Sora successfully summoned his Keyblade and went after all the enemies in the room.

Terra's jaw likewise dropped. "Sora, how are you doing that? That shouldn't be possible!"

"Looks like it is now," Riku said and grinned.

Sora performed one last swoop and landed on his feet in front of them.

"Good work, Sora." Riku put his hand on Sora's shoulder and squeezed. Sora smiled back, a toothy grin that was trying to be heartwarming but just… no.

"Don't ever smile at me in that form again," Riku said, shuddering. Sora let out a guttural sound that was probably supposed to be a laugh before transforming back into himself.

"Better?" As he gave Riku a mischievous but very human smile, it struck Riku that this was the first time since his possession that he had smiled like that. Sure, he'd smiled at Kairi a couple of times, but this smile was playful, joyful, free from any sort of guilt or shame.

Riku fought the lump gathering in his throat. "Y-yeah. A lot better." He turned to Terra so Sora wouldn't notice his eyes watering. "Well? Do you think he's ready?"

Terra nodded. "I'd say so." He thought for a moment, and then his smile turned devious. "Something tells me Xehanort won't be expecting this."

* * *

 **Dear Kairi,**

 **A lot's happened since I last wrote to you.**

 **You know that dark Sora I told you about? Well, I finally got it under control by merging with it. I guess it wasn't really accurate to call it dark Sora, to treat it like it wasn't a part of me all along. Because that's exactly what it was. It wasn't something other; it wasn't a monster; it was just me.**

 **Ever since I accepted that, I haven't had any more losses of control. Riku and Terra have been really patient with me, and I'm making good progress now.**

 **Which brings me to my next point. They're needed soon for whatever the next phase of the The Plan is, and Riku thinks I'll be ready to come with them to Twilight Town. Not to actually help with The Plan, but to take some of our allies off world so we won't have seven potential Guardians hanging around one place for too long.**

 **I haven't gotten to see Roxas or Naminé or Xion since my rescue. I want to see them, but I'm also really dreading it. What do I even say, when we lost Lea because of me?**

 **Yeah, yeah, I know you said it wasn't my fault. But it wouldn't have happened if you guys hadn't had to come rescue me. I can't help but feel guilty.**

 **Guess I'll have to figure something out though. One step at a time. Knowing you're in this with me makes it easier. Thank you, Kairi. Thank you for sticking with me.**

 **I hope your adventures are going well. But more than that, I want to see you again soon. I really meant what I said, you know. I'm going to end this, once and for all, so we can finally be together.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Sora**

 **P.S. Your heart barrier still seems to be working. No Xehanort tormenting me in my dreams.**

 **Now if only we could get him to stop tormenting everyone in real life, too.**

* * *

A/N: I wanted to explore what might happen if Sora got control over Anti-Form and what that would look like, and thus the idea for this chapter was born. Hope you enjoyed, and as always, thank you for reading!


	28. Chapter 28 - Journey

Chapter 28 – Journey

"Gawrsh, Master Yen Sid," Goofy said, pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow. "We've been walkin' for a long time. Are we any closer to this place you were talkin' about?"

"We are drawing near to it, yes," was Master Yen Sid's reply. At this news Donald and Goofy sighed in relief.

Their group was on the very edge of Master Yen Sid's home world, which was hidden away in a book in his tower. The water lapping at their feet was shallow, and a little ways away was a small island with a pavilion on it. Similar islands stretched out into the horizon as far as the eye could see, and when Kairi stole a glance at the sky, pegasi glided by on their magnificent wings.

In any other situation, she would have liked very much to explore such a beautiful world. But that wasn't why they were here. For the first time in ages, she and the rest of the Princesses of Heart were all together, and that little detail couldn't have escaped Xehanort's notice.

 _Might as well paint giant targets on our foreheads,_ she thought grimly. Holding her Keyblade more tightly in her hand, she moved closer to Aqua.

"Everything okay?" Aqua asked.

She chewed her lip. "Yeah, it's just that—"

"Hey, everything's gonna be fine," Ven said. "We're here and we'll protect you."

"Remember that signal I put into your necklace," Aqua added.

Kairi attempted a smile. "Yeah. There's just so much at stake. It's hard not to be nervous."

While it was true that she and the other Princesses of Heart were powerful when they were all together, they hadn't really tested the full limits of their abilities. In theory this should work, but in practice, who knew.

Merlin searched around in his robes for his wand as they continued on. "Kairi, my dear, have some faith in yourself. There is a reason Xehanort is after the seven of you."

At long last they reached the place Master Yen Sid had spoken of earlier. While the scenery continued on, Kairi could definitely tell that something was different about this area. When she poked the air in front of her with her Keyblade, she hit an invisible wall, and her Keyblade bounced back a bit. Clear block-like structures appeared for a moment, then vanished into the ether once more.

For a moment she wondered what the worlds had looked like when they'd all been one. There probably hadn't been any unnatural barriers like this, but then she had to remind herself that this barrier was the very reason another Keyblade War hadn't broken out yet.

Letting her Keyblade disappear, she grabbed Belle and Jasmine's offered hands.

"All together now, everyone," Aurora said.

"Think about your loved ones," Cinderella added. "The light in our hearts always shines brightest when we do."

Alice nodded, and Kairi closed her eyes and called forth images of her family and friends. They each held a special place in her heart, but of course there was someone who mattered the most of all.

The memories with him hadn't been very happy ones lately, but at least their goodbye hug had been nice. She let her mind wander to that, and to all the things she wished they might share someday. Things she'd pushed out of her mind because there'd been too much else to think about.

There. The light in her heart was growing, and she could feel it amplified by the light of the hearts around her. Taking a deep breath, she directed that light towards the world's barrier. Now that she had something to focus on, she opened her eyes and continued. Sure enough, she sensed the barrier getting stronger, the light growing and growing as it wrapped the entire world in its warm embrace.

"That's it, that's it!" Merlin cried. "By George, they've got it!"

When Kairi stole a glance at him and Master Yen Sid, there was a twinkle in Merlin's eyes and something akin to triumph in Master Yen Sid's.

"What is it, Master?" Aqua asked.

"Ah, forgive me, Aqua," Master Yen Sid replied. "The balance of light and darkness that Xehanort pretends to value is, in fact, being restored to this world by the Seven Princesses as we speak. The worlds do not need him any more than they need a parasite, and it is most satisfying to see proof of that with my very eyes."

"Yen Sid speaks the truth," Merlin said. "The worlds are unbalanced because of all the dratted Heartless and Nobodies, but we're here to fix that."

 _He's right. Maybe this way we can restore the—_

"Kairi," Belle gently chided.

"Sorry!" Kairi turned her attention back to the barrier. They were close now, close to making it as strong as they could. Just a little more—

"My my, what have we here?" came a voice from behind them. Kairi let go of Belle and Jasmine's hands and whirled around. Donald and Goofy were already by her side, weapons out and at the ready.

Because of course things had been going too well. Xehanort always knew exactly when to interfere. His younger self was here, along with an armored figure that must be No Heart. According to Aqua and Ven, No Heart was Xehanort in his prime. They'd warned the others about him after Eraqus had also warned them.

Kairi didn't feel so good about their odds now, but Merlin was already on top of things. He made a portal into the past of the world, and Master Yen Sid created a powerful magic barrier around everyone to buy them time. The other princesses followed Merlin through the portal, but Kairi refused to budge.

"Take them and go!" she cried, summoning her Keyblade. They couldn't complete their work here until the Xehanorts had been driven away, and she fully intended to help with that.

What happened next was a blur. All she knew was that there was a loud clap of thunder, and then she was whisked away to some unknown realm. There was no ground beneath her feet nor sky above. It was all just empty, a colorless world with no sense of time or space.

"We haven't had access to Sora at all lately," came Young Xehanort's voice. Kairi spotted him a little ways away, hunched over something she couldn't quite make out.

Great. Of all the people to get stuck with—

"It was you, wasn't it?" he continued. "You were the one who put that barrier of light around his heart." He put the finishing touches on what he was working on, and Kairi could hear the steady tick-tock of a clock as he turned to her and raised his eyebrow. "I suppose I should have expected as much. You're maintaining it even now, aren't you? That must be exhausting. Tell me, if I defeat you, will that bring the barrier down? We really would like to be able to access his heart again."

Kairi summoned her Keyblade. "No. I won't let you." Not again. She wouldn't let Xehanort hurt him again.

Young Xehanort's eyes flashed. "His heart belongs to the darkness. It belongs to me."

"No. He gave his heart to me." She brought her Keyblade into a defensive stance and glared. "It's in my care, and that means that if you want to get to him, you're going to have to go through me."

To her surprise, he relaxed and smiled. "So the princess protects her knight. What a change of roles. Too bad you're both still destined to fail."

"You mean the prophecy? You don't know anything!"

She thought of what Riku had said and clung to the hope behind his words, what could be if they discovered the rest of the prophecy and found out how it might help them.

Young Xehanort made a long, slow circle around her. "Light will expire and darkness prevail. Just as I know my role is to be a vessel of darkness, your role is to be on the side of light and fall along with the rest of your allies."

Kairi gritted her teeth. "Do you really believe that? Do you really think that you have no choice?"

"My path has already been set for me."

Kairi let her Keyblade disappear. "But what if it hasn't been? What if you can choose?" She took a deep breath. She knew the past couldn't be changed, and yet… as much as she hated Xehanort, this was a Xehanort who hadn't done all those terrible things yet. Maybe it was possible to—

"The future has already been written, and yet you insist on interfering. You're upsetting the balance I've worked so hard to restore, and I can't let you do that." He raised his eyebrow. "You do realize how pointless all this is, right? Once I have the χ-blade, all the barriers around the worlds are going to come crashing down."

Kairi didn't say anything. Even if what he said was true, Master Eraqus still had his mission. That wasn't pointless. There was her mission, too; her secret mission that she hadn't told anyone about yet. And even her mission with the others wasn't pointless, if it distracted Xehanort from what the Guardians really had planned.

 _That's right. We're the bait in a game of cat and mouse. Might as well have a little fun._

She touched her necklace, and it flashed briefly. Searching for a way out of this place, her eyes landed on the only clue she had. The clock Young Xehanort had created. She didn't like her odds fighting against him alone, but maybe, if she could do something about that clock—

"Oh, you aren't going anywhere," he said, summoning his Keyblade. She sent a light barrier crashing towards him, and he dodged out of the way.

"Why do you want the χ-blade so badly?" she barely managed, rolling out of the way of his diving attack.

"I need it to open the door."

"And why do you want to open the door?"

"Don't you know? Whoever opens the door will—"

"Kairi!" Aqua and Ven cried. Oh good, they were finally here. Kairi grinned. The necklace signal that Aqua had set up had worked.

"You guys take him on, I'll go after the clock!" she said.

"Got it!"

Young Xehanort did what he could to protect the clock, but Aqua and Ven made every attempt for him difficult. Kairi was able to attack it with little interference. Cracks appeared in its glowing surface, and with one last blow, it shattered. The strange realm melted away, and the last thing she heard was Young Xehanort's parting words.

"Foolish girl, doomed to fail and lose the one you're fighting so hard to protect. You above all others are to be pitied."

His words sent a chill down her spine, but then Donald and Goofy were there and they were hugging her and everyone was safe, the Xehanorts had been driven away and they could finish the job.

They did, and as the last piece of the barrier was strengthened, a bright light shone, bathing the whole world in its protective glow.

This world was safe, for now. It had been a good test run – few people, mainly just creatures of all different kinds. But now it was time to go to worlds with more people. They were ones that needed the most protection, after all.

Not before resting, however. As Kairi tossed and turned that night in some unfamiliar palace as the rest of her companions snoozed nearby, Young Xehanort's words from before echoed in her mind.

 _Lose the one I'm fighting so hard to protect? He meant Sora, didn't he?_

She pulled the covers up around her. No. She wouldn't let that happen. Young Xehanort had only said that because he didn't know the full prophecy. The full prophecy, the real prophecy, had to be filled with hope. It just had to be.

She imagined Sora holding her like he had in the Secret Place, and she was finally able to drift off to sleep.

* * *

"Kairi… Kairi…"

Ugh. Kairi knew that voice all too well. She blinked her eyes open and brushed a strand of sticky, sweaty hair out of her face. It was warm here, and with a start she realized she was back in the volcano fortress where Sora had been imprisoned, standing in a dimly lit room by a black throne. Something about that throne made her stomach queasy, and she wasn't sure why.

"Leave me alone, Xehanort," she spat. It wasn't enough that he had tried to talk to her in real life, no. Not even her dreams were off limits to him. Nothing good would come of this, of that she was certain. She summoned her Keyblade just in case.

Xehanort was unperturbed. "Take that barrier around Sora's heart down and I will."

She just glared at him. As if she would ever stop protecting Sora. "Not an option."

He smiled that creepy unsettling smile of his and sat on the throne, sprawling out like he didn't have a care in the world. "He has abandoned you again and again. Why are you still so loyal to him?"

"That's not true. He only ever leaves me because he has to. Because our friends need him."

Xehanort strummed his fingers across the armrest of the throne. "You keep telling yourself that, and yet… He's heartless, don't you think? He knows what you're afraid of, and yet he keeps subjecting you to it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Get out of my dream and leave me alone." She summoned the light within her. If it could drive Vanitas back, it would surely work on Xehanort, too.

"Your birth parents died when you were just a baby," Xehanort said, and she paused. "You were torn from the grandmother you loved and sent to a strange new world. Then Sora and Riku left you alone for an entire year. And as soon as they got the chance, they left you behind again."

"So what? They had important things to do. And the reason I was separated from my grandma was because of _you,_ or did you forget already?"

He had a conveniently short memory when his lies and manipulation called for it.

"It doesn't matter who was the cause of it," he said. "You're afraid of being abandoned, and yet Sora has abandoned you over and over and over again."

What was this all about? Was Xehanort really trying to get her to doubt Sora? Did he think _that_ would get her to stop protecting him? For all his posturing and pontificating, he really didn't understand the heart at all.

"No! He's always with me, just like he promised." She didn't know how exactly, but it didn't matter. Time and again he'd been with her in spirit if not in reality.

Xehanort just gave her an unreadable look. "If you won't believe me, then why don't you hear it from him?"

Kairi watched as if in a stupor as he morphed into Sora right before her eyes. But not just any version of Sora. A bruised, broken Sora, tears streaking his face and arms chained to the throne and body betraying the physical abuse he'd suffered, the hurt that healing magic could quickly and easily mask.

She knew when exactly this had taken place, and she didn't want to see any more. Didn't need to. If Sora had wanted her to know, he would have shared it with her himself.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Stop it, he doesn't want me to see him like this—"

But Xehanort didn't care for her wishes or Sora's.

"Kairi, I'm sorry," Sora said, voice completely broken and body wracked with sobs. Her eyes flew open. She couldn't help herself. She looked into his eyes, and the guilt and agony in them _hurt_ , knowing why they were there.

"Enough," she said, her voice low and shaky and her lip trembling. _So he_ was _thinking about me, even when he was—_

That was her Sora, compassionate and selfless to the end. She fought to swallow the lump in her throat. If anything this just made her more determined to protect him.

Xehanort transformed back into himself, his eyes gleaming. "He said that after I told him I was going to remake him in my image, in the image of the man who hurt you. After I showed him exactly how I hurt you, of course."

Kairi felt sick. Her head swam and her stomach roiled. More memories flashed through her mind, memories she'd almost forgotten, things she'd moved past and buried getting dug up again and thrown in her face.

All just to make Sora suffer. Her pain and torment being twisted into a knife to plunge into his heart like it didn't even belong to her, like it was just another tool in Xehanort's arsenal.

Because that _was_ the easiest way to make Sora suffer. When his friends hurt, he hurt. He hurt far more than he probably would for himself. And that hurt was amplified by the depth of his love, and he loved her enough to die for her.

It was a wonder what Xehanort had done hadn't killed him. Sora had told her what had happened, but hearing Xehanort admit it so casually and give her the details Sora had carefully omitted was like pouring salt on an open wound.

"How _dare_ you," she said, her whole body shaking and her blood boiling. "You cruel, selfish, manipulative—"

"So yes," Xehanort cut in, interrupting her, "he does know about how you feel about being alone and abandoned and yet—"

"Shut up!"

Light exploded from deep within her and blasted Xehanort away. Her eyes flew open, her breath coming in loud gasps. She was back in the palace on Master Yen Sid's world, and everyone else was still sleeping soundly around her, the moonlight reflecting off their peaceful faces.

She pulled her blanket tighter and shut her eyes again. But images of Sora's tear-streaked face and battered body, of that awful look in his eyes as he'd choked out an apology, were burned into her brain. She had to open her eyes again to banish them.

More manipulation. Xehanort was doing everything he could to get to him, including going through her. His heart wasn't the only one that needed a light barrier. She drew on the light in hers to make one to surround her own. There. No more creepy Xehanort visits in her dreams, hopefully. She wouldn't let his threats stop her. She would protect Sora, no matter what.

She didn't fall asleep again after that, her mind replaying every moment from the dream instead like some kind of sick movie. As soon as Aqua stirred nearby, she pounced at the chance for a distraction.

"Aqua, can we train?" she asked, plopping on the bed next to her.

Aqua rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Gimme a minute."

True to her promise, Aqua got ready quickly. After that they went into a nearby glade outside. The rising sun shone down on them, reflecting off the rustling grass as the breeze rushed through it.

"Anything you want to learn in particular today?" Aqua asked, going through her usual warmup stretches.

"Can you teach me teleportation magic?"

Kairi knew she needed to move faster. Right now, she was at a speed disadvantage compared to everyone else, and that could be the difference between life and death.

"Sure, but the version I know uses darkness," Aqua said. "It's called Ghost Drive, but you won't be able to use it, for obvious reasons." She tapped her temple. "Hmmm, maybe I could help you develop a version that uses the light instead?"

"That'd be great!" Anything, really, to get her mind off of her worries. To help her prepare.

"It might be a good idea to grab Ven," Aqua said. "He's more experienced with light-based magic than I am and could lend us a hand."

They woke Ven up after that. And true to her word, together she and Ven helped Kairi develop her very own style of teleportation magic. Kairi put her all into practicing it so it would be ready the next time a fight broke out.

Because the harder she focused on fighting, the easier it was to put Sora's suffering and Xehanort's ominous words out of her mind.

She wouldn't lose Sora. She'd keep him safe. It was why she'd trained so hard. He'd promised her they would be together, and they would.

That was what she told herself, anyway.

* * *

The following days settled into a pattern - go to new world, meet locals, explain situation, strengthen world barrier, fight if necessary, then repeat the whole process on the next world.

Much to Donald and Goofy's shock, Master Yen Sid gave their group permission to tell people about Xehanort. The safety of all the worlds depended on knowing about the true threat, after all.

And much to Kairi's disappointment, they hadn't been to any worlds that Sora had already been to yet. She needed to meet Sora's friends to carry out her secret mission, but she hadn't run across anyone who knew him yet.

They were staying the night at King Richard's castle after strengthening the barrier around his world, Sherwood Forest, when Kairi found herself unable to sleep again. Not even after the grand feast King Richard had thrown in their honor, or spending hours talking to Robin Hood and Maid Marian, was her mind able to rest.

Sighing, she pulled out the stationary Sora had given her and a pen and began to write.

 **Dear Sora,**

 **I hope you're doing well. Nothing much in the way of news to report here since I last wrote you. We're still on Robin Hood's world, just a quick night of resting before we move on to the next place. Aqua thinks I've mastered teleportation, so we've moved on to the -ga spells.**

 **My body's exhausted, but I can't sleep again. My mind is racing, and what Young Xehanort said to me is still bothering me. When I see you again, we're going to talk about it, okay?**

She paused. She'd told him about Young Xehanort's words during their fight in a previous letter, but not about her dream. The whole thing was a huge violation of his privacy, for one, and dream or not, she couldn't bring herself to describe his suffering. She didn't want him to read about it either. He'd been through enough as it was already.

 **Thinking of you does help me sleep. I wish you were here for real though. Even with all the people guarding me, I don't feel safe the same way I do as when you're holding me.**

 **Anyway, I hope you get to meet Robin Hood and Maid Marian someday. They're wonderful people with so many stories to tell. They met when they were kids and grew up together. When they were older they fell in love and finally got married.**

 **I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy. They couldn't stop looking at each other, and Robin didn't let go of Marian's hand the whole night.**

 **It was fun, hearing them talk about all their adventures and how they fell in love. They were both pining after each other but they didn't know how the other person felt until Marian thought Robin was going to die.**

 **Remind you of anyone else we know?**

 **Oh, I remember you wanted me to draw what everyone looks like on this world. You said you've transformed before, right? When you've been to other worlds. I'd like to see your monster form someday, it sounds like a mix of a dragon and a kappa and a cat and that is one funny combination.**

 **Well, here you go. It's been ages since I've drawn anything, so it's nice to practice again. As you can see, I'm an orange tabby cat, Aqua is a fox with blue-gray fur, Merlin's an owl and Master Yen Sid's a wolf. The Princesses of Heart are other animals - Jasmine's a tiger, Belle's a horse, Alice is a white rabbit, Aurora's a dog with golden fur, Cinderella's a bluebird, and Snow White's a deer.**

 **And best of all, Ven's a mouse. We all had a good laugh over that, but he was pretty disgruntled until Cinderella cheered him up.**

 **Well, that's about all I can think of for now. I'll write again when we go to the next world.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Kairi**

Kairi folded the letter and tucked it inside the envelope before putting it in her bag. She could send it in the morning.

As she blew out the candle and climbed under the covers, Sora's presence felt a little more real than usual, almost as if his arms really were wrapped around her. But of course his heart wasn't directly connected to hers right now. They'd agreed not to do that or risk Xehanort finding out about their plan.

Well, she'd learned long ago that something about the two of them was special. The very rules of reality seemed to bend to their will, reversing Heartless transformations and healing hearts and providing comfort across the stars.

It wasn't so much of a stretch, then, to think he might really be here in some sense, and that thought led to soothing dreams as she fell asleep.

* * *

"Kairi? Are you coming?" Aqua asked, calling to her across the long cobblestone bridge.

"Yes, hold on," Kairi said. There was still one last thing she had to do. She headed back towards the beautiful city of Corona, surrounded as it was by the sea.

Corona was, in many ways, very different from Destiny Islands. There were a lot more people, for one. The houses had thatched roofs, and the streets were lined with cobblestones and decorated with colorful banners. It was a sharp contrast to Destiny Island's hilly dirt paths and shingled roofs and small town feel.

But the salty sea breeze, the ships sailing to and fro, the atmosphere of adventure and possibility – that was all the same. Kairi supposed all settlements by the sea shared that in common. Perhaps that was why she felt so at home here.

That and the warm hospitality of their hosts, whom she approached now. Their quizzical expressions at her return matched each other almost exactly, much to Kairi's amusement.

"Rapunzel, Eugene, I have a favor to ask," she said.

"Ask away," Eugene said, gesturing to the city behind them. "After all your help protecting our world, we owe you one."

Well, that was true enough. "You're friends with Sora, right?" she said.

Rapunzel gave her a knowing look, the sea breeze rustling through her short brown hair. "Yes. Is this about him?"

Kairi nodded. "Lately, he's been feeling down because… some terrible things happened, and I wanted to do something to cheer him up. Can you help me with that?"

"Sure. What did you have in mind?" Eugene asked.

"Well, he can connect people's hearts together."

They exchanged glances. "We noticed," Rapunzel said, a smile on her face.

"Sora's never met a stranger, has he?" Eugene said.

Kairi's hand went to her necklace. "He really hasn't. And when he connects people's hearts together, the people he's connected to feel what he's feeling, and he can even let them see his thoughts and memories. It's like hearing his voice inside your head, or seeing a bunch of images from his point of view, all at once."

"Does that go both ways?" Rapunzel asked.

Kairi nodded again. "You can send feelings and memories his way, too. I did it once, to heal his heart."

They exchanged glances again. "We think we know what you're asking, and we'd be happy to help," Eugene said.

Kairi smiled. "Thank you. You'll know when the time comes."

As she followed after Aqua and looked back one last time to wave at Rapunzel and Eugene, they called out a reminder to come back and see the lanterns someday.

 _Maybe, if…_

No, not if. When. Sora had promised, after all.

* * *

A/N: Kairi's adventures could have easily become a story in their own right, so I had to be careful to keep the focus on the main story in this chapter. Still, it was fun to have a cameo for one of my favorite Disney movies growing up, Robin Hood. Robin and Marian were also the Disney couple who made me fall in love with the childhood sweethearts trope, so is it any surprise I came to love Sora and Kairi so much?

As always, thank you for reading!


	29. Chapter 29 - Restoration

Chapter 29 – Restoration

"Okay Xion," Mickey said, "on the count of 3! 1, 2, 3!"

Xion leapt into the air and transformed into her armor form. Circles of light swirled around her, going further and further outwards as she maneuvered her hulking body into a spin, Keyblade held high in the air. The light swept across the grass as it covered a huge perimeter, finally bursting into a million specs.

"That's it! That's it!" Mickey cried, clasping his hands together.

She flipped and landed on her feet in a crouch, the armor disappearing to reveal her human form again. Mickey was applauding so hard she thought his hands might fall off.

"That was great!" he said. "You've improved a lot since the last battle!"

Xion's cheeks flushed pink. It was nice to hear praise from her teacher. She straightened and brushed the grass off her pants, leaving behind a few green stains.

"It's all thanks to your help, Mickey. I couldn't ask for a better teacher."

"Well gosh," he said, smiling up at her and rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know about that."

She grinned and poked his big round nose. "I mean it."

He opened his mouth to reply when something caught his eye. "Riku!"

Sure enough, Riku was waiting there. So he and Terra were finally here. What a relief it was to see him safe. She smiled and waved. The night they'd danced together seemed so far away now. So much had happened since then.

"Did you see that?" Mickey asked him.

"Yeah." He smiled, his eyes softening. "You've made good progress, Xion."

Riku had a warmth all of his own. It wasn't eager or overbearing, and it only shone through when he really, truly meant it, but that made it all the more special. Xion had caught a glimpse of it now, and something about that warmed her heart.

"How's Sora doin'?" Mickey asked.

"Much better. He's got a lot more darkness in him now, and a lot of anger too, but we had a breakthrough several days ago. He's in control of himself now." Riku grinned and rubbed a bruise on his arm. "Well, for the most part."

"Will he be ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Riku said. "He's determined to fight Xehanort with us, so he's been doing everything he can to prepare." He sighed and shook his head. "Once he gets it in his head that he's going to do something, not much can convince him otherwise."

Xion smiled at that. "I know it gets him in trouble, but it's also one of the best things about him."

It was what had driven him to save her, after all. The girl no one could remember. The girl whose entire existence was an impossibility. He'd seen her, grieving in the depths of his heart, and he'd refused to rest until she had been restored to life. If it weren't for his stubborn determination, she wouldn't be standing here right now.

Mickey told her to take a short break while he went and grabbed something, and she and Riku strolled through the woods together. She didn't think she'd ever tire of hearing the wind rustle through the grass, or seeing the dappled sunlight pour through the trees. The pine trees smelled amazing too, their heady scent carried over the breeze.

"So, um, how's training going?" Riku asked. He picked a pinecone off the ground, tossing it in the air and catching it over and over.

"Pretty good. How about you?"

"Yeah, it's good." He tossed the pinecone at a nearby branch, and it cleared it with ease and landed on the ground on the other side. "I mean, Sora and I have been sparring. And Terra, uh, I'm training him now, too."

"I bet you're a great teacher." She took a moment to enjoy his flustered reaction, then switched to the question that was really on her mind. "Riku, how are you, really?"

He was always helping other people, always providing them with support. But who was helping him?

Riku stopped in his tracks. He didn't seem to know what to say to her question.

"Don't tell me I'm the first person who's asked you that since the big fight," she said, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice. But his expression just confirmed what she suspected, and she reached for his hand. "Riku—"

He cleared his throat and looked away. "Thanks, Xion. You're right, you are the first person who's asked. Not because the others don't care, but—"

"Because they depend on you to be their strength," Xion said. Courage and power. Riku really was like edelweiss. "You've changed a lot since I first met you. You were really lonely then. I'm glad you're happier now. I'm glad you have so many friends."

"I'm glad you have friends too, Xion," he said, and she let her hand fall back to her side. "I'm sorry about what happened to Lea, and…"

He trailed off, and Xion clasped her hands behind her back. "I was afraid something might happen to him. But it's strange. Now that it has, all I can think about is saving him. I know I can't help feeling sad, but I want to find a way to be happy again, you know? And right now, that means helping you guys fight Xehanort. That's my best chance of getting Axel back, and if my friends are with me, I know I can find happiness for good."

Riku nodded. "I understand. For the longest time, I beat myself up over what I'd done. I wouldn't even let myself see Sora or Kairi. I was too ashamed to face them. But they wouldn't give up on me, and I was tired of wallowing in my guilt. So I stopped. From that point on, I knew I had to find my own path. And somewhere along the way, I found the courage to smile again."

Xion looked at him. A gentle breeze blew past them, and she put a hand to her ear to tuck her hair behind it. He smiled, the light dancing off his aquamarine eyes. The same warm feeling from before returned and settled inside her heart.

"Thank you, Riku."

His eyebrows furrowed and he tilted his head. "For what?"

"For understanding."

She left him to ponder the meaning behind her words as she strolled back to the Courtyard where Mickey was waiting.

"How was the walk?" Mickey asked.

She smiled. "It was great. Just what I needed."

Mickey smiled back. "Good. I hope you're ready to put all we've practiced into use. Now that Riku and Terra are here, we think there's somethin' you can help us with to bring back you-know-who."

* * *

"Roxas? Roxas, are you awake?"

Naminé's soothing voice called to him through the door, but Roxas didn't answer. He burrowed even further beneath the covers instead. Surely it was too early for this.

"There's someone here to see you," she continued.

"Roxas."

Roxas bolted upright, the fluffy blankets dropping into a pile back on the bed.

"Sora? Is that really you? But I thought… I thought you weren't supposed to be here." That bumped them up to seven Keyblade wielders, not even counting Master Eraqus once he came back into existence. Surely that was too high a risk. "I know Naminé can hide us, but..."

"What, you don't want to see me?" came Sora's amused voice through the door.

 _Are you kidding?_ This is exactly what Roxas had wanted – to see Sora again. Even just hearing his voice was great.

"No, I do, I was just—"

"Can we come in?"

Roxas stumbled to the door, realizing at the last second that he was still wearing the same outfit he'd worn yesterday. He glanced at the dusty mirror hanging on the wall. His clothes were a mess, and so was his hair. The thought of Naminé seeing him like this made the heat rise in his cheeks, and he knew he couldn't open that door just yet.

"Can you guys gimme a minute?"

"Sure," Sora said. "We'll go hang out in the library or something."

They came back a little while later, leaving him enough time to shower and change.

"You can come in," Roxas called. The door opened, and Sora came into the room with Naminé close behind. There was a sad, haunted look in his eyes. He knew things, had experienced things, that he never should have.

But then he smiled at Roxas, and something of his old self shone through.

"Hey," he simply said. As if he hadn't been through hell. As if he hadn't been traumatized so deeply he might not ever fully recover.

Roxas envied his emotional resilience.

"Hey," Roxas said back. He didn't know what else to say, really.

Sora settled on the old lumpy couch in the corner and fidgeted for a moment before speaking again. "Roxas, I'm sorry about what happened. It's my fault Xehanort has Lea—"

Roxas wanted to groan. Would Sora blame himself for everything? He sank onto the couch next to Sora and sighed.

"No, it isn't. Stop blaming yourself. He knew the risks. He wanted to stay. He wanted to help Saïx."

Sora put a hand on his shoulder. "But that doesn't make what Xehanort did okay." His grip on Roxas tightened, and he gave him a wry smile. "Trust me, I know that better than most."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to talk to him?" Sora asked softly.

"You can do that?"

Sora nodded. "Gimme a second." He closed his eyes, and before long Roxas felt their hearts connect. Then Sora's heart searched for Axel's, linking it to Roxas's. It was clouded in darkness, and the gut-wrenching turmoil Roxas felt wasn't his own.

Sora was struggling to go through with this, and yet he was determined to make it happen anyway.

 _All for my sake._ A lump built in Roxas's throat at the thought. He was about to tell Sora to stop when Axel spoke.

" _Roxas?"_ came his voice, faint and far away and a little strained. _"Is that really you, buddy?"_

" _Y-yeah."_

There was a brief pause. _"It's good to hear from you. Listen, the next time we see each other, I might not be myself."_

" _I know."_

" _Good. Just wanted to make sure. What… what are you doing now?"_

" _Moping in his room,"_ Sora cut in.

" _You cut that out. You should be enjoying the last few days you have left with everyone. Get some ice cream with Xion. Meet up with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Take Naminé to the beach."_

Roxas stiffened. It didn't feel right to have fun, to enjoy himself. Not when Axel was trapped like this. But he also didn't want to spend his last days with his friends locked in his room. That was no way to live.

" _Lea, there's someone else who wants to talk to you too,"_ Sora said.

Xion's voice came in. _"Axel? Is that really you? Are you okay?"_

" _Xi! Good to hear your voice. It is me, but I've been better. What are you up to?"_

" _Training with Mickey. It helps… get my mind off things."_

" _Good. Make sure you get a break every now and then, alright?"_

" _I will."_

Axel addressed Sora again. _"Listen, Sora, Xehanort has been moving around a lot lately. I'm not sure what all he's been doing, but he's searching for the Princesses of Heart, including Kairi. He knows they're strengthening the barriers of light between the worlds, and he isn't happy about it."_

 _Good,_ Roxas thought. Anyone who could make Xehanort angry was doing a great job in his book.

" _Anyway,"_ Axel continued, _"we'll all be waiting for you at the Keyblade Graveyard. Whatever you guys do, don't engage all of the Seekers at once. If you can avoid fighting one of them while you take on everyone else, do it."_

" _Right. I'll pass it on."_

" _Vanitas is the mostly likely person to turn against him. Have Kairi or Ven talk to him, and it could turn the whole tide of the battle."_

" _Got it."_

" _And I'll keep working on Isa. I hope you guys are almost ready. Xehanort's getting impatient."_

Sora's fists clenched at his sides. _"I know. Give him a message for me, will you? Tell him he'd better be ready for us."_

A new voice entered the conversation. _"Message received, Sora. We're looking forward to seeing you aga—"_

The connection abruptly shut off. Sora's eyes were filled with fury, and a faint dark aura oozed off of him. His breathing was labored, and Roxas wondered if this whole thing had been such a good idea after all.

"Sora?" Naminé asked, sitting down next to him and touching his arm. His attention snapped to her, and just like that, the strange aura disappeared.

He smiled softly at her. "I'm okay, I promise." He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "I wanted Kairi to talk to Lea too, but I can't connect with her right now. Xehanort might find out where she is if I do."

"Have you guys gotten to talk since everything happened?" Roxas asked. He sure hoped so.

"Yeah," Sora said, and Roxas relaxed. "And we've been writing each other letters. It's just not the same as having her here, you know?"

That Roxas understood. He and Naminé exchanged glances, and Sora's eyes softened. "To answer your question from earlier, Roxas, I'm here to be a distraction from whatever it is Riku and Terra are doing."

So he still didn't know the plan. Well, better to keep it that way, Roxas supposed.

"I've been told to take you guys with me," Sora clarified. "Can't have seven potential Guardians in the same place at the same time and all."

"Like… off world?" Roxas asked. He wasn't sure how he felt about up and leaving right now. But then again, maybe now was his chance to look for Ax—

"Just for a day or so. Somewhere we shouldn't run into any trouble."

Oh. So much for that.

Sora dug around in his pockets for something, then pulled out three brightly colored tickets. "The King gave these to me. They're passes to Disney Town. There's a race track and a giant machine that lets you shoot scoop after scoop of ice cream into a huge cone. Oh, and there's a sport kinda like volleyball but with fruit." He grinned and held the tickets out to them. "You guys have never been to a place like that before, right? What do you say we go?"

* * *

Naminé smiled as Sora and Roxas sped around on the Rumble Racing track. She was watching them from the grandstands with Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy, a colorful parasol providing them all with shelter from the bright sun.

Roxas hadn't smiled this much since before they'd lost Axel. Sora knew how to cheer him up like no one else, getting him involved in silly competitions and ridiculous contests until he'd lost sight of himself and could just relax and have fun.

Sora poked his head out of his bright red go-kart as he sped past. "Naminé, you gotta try driving one of these things! They're a blast!"

Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy also urged her to try, and she set her sketchbook down and chewed her lip. "But I've never driven anything before."

Roxas pulled over near the grandstands. "Neither had I before today. C'mon, I'll teach you."

He held his hand out to her, and she relented. She'd been sketching a picture of him as he drove, but actually joining him and making new memories together sounded nice.

"Okay, hang on."

She grabbed a helmet and was about to get a vehicle of her own when Roxas called, "This one can fit two people. Join me."

She climbed inside and settled in in front of him. Now that she was actually inside, she wondered how she was supposed to drive this thing. But Roxas was one step ahead of her.

"This is the gas," he said, nudging her foot with his to one of the pedals, "and this is the brake," he continued, guiding her foot to the other one. Reaching around her, he lifted her hands to the steering wheel. "Turn the steering wheel right to go right, and left to go left."

"O-okay." She wasn't sure how well she'd be able to drive, distracted as she was right now by how close he was. She turned her head, and his smiling face was right there. She wouldn't have minded at all if they'd just sat in the kart like this for a while instead of driving.

"Well, that's about it. Don't start or stop or turn too suddenly, and you'll figure out the rest as you go." He wrapped his arms around her waist, and slowly, haltingly, she put her foot on the gas. The kart sputtered to life, the engine making a loud VROOM as they shot forward.

"I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!" She giggled, because the kart was actually moving and she was driving it. Roxas laughed and kissed her cheek.

She took her foot off the gas and the kart skittered to a halt. That was the first time Roxas had been so bold as to kiss her, even if it was just on the cheek, and she wasn't about to let driving get in the way of such a significant moment.

"R-Roxas—"

He nuzzled her cheek, then traced a slow, sensuous path to her ear, the straps of her helmet only proving to be a minor roadblock. "You're doing great," he whispered.

She blushed, basking in his affection and praise. "All thanks to you." Maybe he really had taken Lea's advice to heart, to enjoy the last of their time together before the final battle.

The next ten minutes or so were filled with a lot of jerky starts and stops, but after a little while she was getting the hang of it. Once they'd made an entire lap around the racetrack, she pulled over to the side by the grandstands. When she looked at Roxas again, he was grinning, and she couldn't help but return the smile.

"Wanna race?" Sora asked, pulling up beside them.

"Sure," Naminé said. Might as well, right?

They weren't the only ones here anymore, though. A mysterious helmeted figure had joined them. It drove up to the starting line in a green go-kart and parked next to them. Sora took this in stride, his competitive streak kicking in at the prospect of having another opponent.

"Queen Minnie, will you do the honors?" he asked.

"On your mark," Queen Minnie called out. "Get set, GO!"

Lady Daisy dropped a flag, and Naminé put her foot to the pedal. She and Roxas rushed forward in a thrilling burst of speed.

"There you go, Nami, ease into the turn," Roxas instructed. Naminé flushed at the affectionate nickname. Another first. She managed the turn just fine, kicking up a cloud of dirt that caught Sora in the face (which he was sure to let them know, and loudly).

By the time the finish line was within view, they'd long left their mysterious opponent behind, and they had a slight advantage over Sora. All until the green go-kart crashed onto the ground in front of them and sped to the finish line, finishing just in front of them.

"Hey, no fair!" Sora said, shooting daggers at the helmeted figure as they all pulled over and got out of their go-karts. "You cheated."

"Did not," came the figure's voice. "Just took a shortcut up the hilly path. Try it next time, it's a lot faster."

He took his helmet off, and he looked much like the other residents of Disney Town. He had long black ears and messy hair, and his snout was long and his teeth were big. He wore a loose red shirt with black pants and boots, and he looked strangely familiar.

Lady Daisy gasped. "Max? Is that really you?"

Queen Minnie's eyes went wide. "It is!" She ran over to him and grabbed his hand. "Oh, Goofy's been so worried about you! Where have you been? It's been ages since you've been home!"

Max shrugged. "Yeah, well, stuff happened and life got busy. It's not like he's been home much either. Don't give me that look, I've heard the stories." He paused and raised his eyebrow. "Whatever happened to protecting the world order?"

"Hold on, you're Goofy's _son?_ " Sora said, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. "Goofy has a _son?!_ "

Max sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's hard to believe, right? But he really is my dad."

Sora looked as if someone had just told him the world was ending, and Roxas looked only slightly less confused, the way his mouth hung open. But really, Naminé didn't think it was so hard to believe. The family resemblance was definitely there. From the sound of it though, Max hadn't been home in a long time.

Max narrowed his eyes. "Hang on, you're him, aren't you? You're that Sora kid."

Sora crossed his arms. "Yeah? And?"

"I've heard about you," Max clarified, then shook his head and grinned. "I finally come home after all these years to see my dad, only to hear he's off on some grand adventure with Donald and some random kid."

"I'm not a kid," Sora said, just a tad defensively, and Naminé giggled. Roxas had gotten over his surprise and cracked a grin.

Max raised his eyebrows again. "Could've fooled me. Don't worry, we all go through that phase."

Sora pouted, and it struck Naminé that that was the first time she'd seen him do that since his possession. Max grinned and held out his hand, and Sora finally relented and shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Max," he said. "Thanks for letting me borrow your dad for so long."

"Sure. Any idea when he'll be home?"

Sora was silent for a moment. "Soon. We have one last battle to fight, and after that, you'll get to see him again. I promise."

Naminé turned to Roxas, and his eyes were wide. Because for the first time in ages, Sora was making promises, talking as if he knew for a fact they were going to win. At the sight of the determined glint in his eye, Naminé had to swallow the lump in her throat. She hadn't realized how much she missed the old Sora until she saw him emerging again.

She nestled up to Roxas and rested her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her. They watched as Sora continued his conversation with Max and Queen Minnie and Lady Daisy. Neither of them said anything, but they didn't have to.

Calling attention to it would only spoil the magic, after all.

* * *

Later on, she and Roxas and Sora had finally made it to the front of the line of the newly opened Ferris wheel when Sora said he wanted to grab some ice cream instead.

"You guys come on over when you're ready." He pointed to where the giant ice cream machine was. "I'll be waiting for you there."

The view from the top of the Ferris wheel was fantastic, as the sun was just setting over the horizon. The houses of Disney Town spread out below them, colorful and full of life and energy. Naminé sighed in contentment, holding tight to Roxas's hand. It was the perfect end to their date.

 _Thank you, Sora. Thank you for doing this for us._

They were lucky, really, to have him for a friend. Even while his own heart needed healing, he was still looking out for them. But then again, maybe this really was his way of recovering. Sora had never been one to mope or dwell in his sadness. Even in this state, he was still trying to bring the people around him happiness, still trying to give them a reason to smile.

When they got off the Ferris wheel and went to the ice cream machine, Sora wasn't there.

"Where is he?" Roxas asked. "I thought he was gonna meet us here."

"He was," Naminé said. She looked around. There was no sign of him. There was no sign of anyone, in fact. The music had stopped and everything was quiet, too quiet. The only noise was a nearby festival banner flapping in the breeze. The sky was getting darker and darker by the moment, and a cold wind had picked up.

"We should go back to the Gummi Ship," Roxas said, grabbing her hand.

" _Roxas, Naminé, RUN!"_ came Sora's panicked voice inside their minds.

As they tried to do just that, weaving their way amongst Disney Town's streets as the world sank further and further into the twilight, Naminé detected a faint presence somewhere nearby, the unmistakable signature of a heart that was somehow connected to Sora's.

"Roxas, the Seekers are here," she whispered. "Xemnas... and Ansem?"

Roxas's eyes went wide. "Xemnas? Xemnas and Ansem are here?"

"We have to get back to the ship!" She searched through their most recent memories. Sure enough, she and Roxas were in them. Not good, not good at all. She had to rewrite those memories before—

"Roxas," Xemnas said, blocking their path to the Gummi Ship. His silver hair glistened in the moonlight, and the smile he gave them was downright sinister. "It has been far too long. Don't you think it's time you came home?"

Roxas summoned his Samurai Nobodies and then his Keyblade, and Naminé got to work scrambling their memories. But then Ansem's Guardian appeared and scooped her up into its merciless grip. That didn't have any effect on her powers, but it did make it hard to get back to the Gummi Ship.

"Naminé!" Roxas called forth even more Nobodies and sicced them on the guardian. Too many at once. His face was pale and he wobbled on his feet and Naminé was panicking now, she and Roxas couldn't get captured, they just couldn't.

They'd been careless and stupid and now they were paying the price. _I can't do it. I can't change their memories in time—_

A streak of black and yellow came flying towards her and landed right on the guardian's face. It let out a guttural growl as it hacked and slashed away at its opponent. Taken off guard by such an onslaught, the guardian released Naminé. Its shadowy attacker swooped Naminé into its arms and carried her to the Gummi Ship so quickly she felt sick. A few moments later, and it had hauled Roxas inside too.

"What the—" Roxas put a hand on his head, and his eyes went wide as he put together who their mysterious rescuer was. "Sora? Is that really you?"

Sora didn't answer. He was already in the pilot's seat and taking off, and all that remained of where he'd been standing before were wisps of inky black smoke. It wasn't until they were well away from the world and he'd transformed back into himself that he finally said something.

"You're safe." He was gripping the controls so hard his knuckles had turned white and his hands were shaking. "I had to get everyone else to safety, and I thought – I thought I wasn't gonna make it in time."

Naminé felt a sharp pang at seeing him so worried. "We're sorry. If only we'd been more careful—"

He shook his head and steered the ship past a giant asteroid. "No, I never should have left you alone. It's my job to keep you safe, and I-I almost lost you."

Naminé sat down and chewed her lip as Iggy waddled over and hopped onto her lap. Sora had always been protective of them, but this… this was something else.

She remembered his heart's cry when he thought he'd lost Riku and Kairi, and the anguish in his voice now made a lot more sense. He couldn't bear to lose any of them, and despite all his smiles today, his grief was still weighing heavily on him.

"You didn't lose us," she said, stroking Iggy's head. "You protected us back there. Thank you, Sora."

He took his eyes off his driving for a moment to look at her. "Just this once, at least. Just this once I was able to stop Xehanort from hurting you."

Roxas finally made his way over to his seat and strapped himself in. "Speaking of which, since when have you been able—"

Sora raised his eyebrow. "Turn into that form? When do you think?"

Roxas winced. "No, I meant… since when have you been able to control it?"

"That's a more recent development," Sora said softly. He lifted his right hand off the controls, and a black wisp of smoke appeared in it. Roxas and Naminé watched as it turned into floating specks of light.

That was definitely new.

"Only problem is, now Xehanort knows I can do it." He raked his hand through his hair and sighed before returning it to the controls. "So much for the element of surprise."

Naminé felt even worse. "You were waiting till the final battle to use it against him, weren't you?"

His grip on the controls tightened. "Don't worry about it. Keeping you safe was worth the cost."

They fell silent for a while after that, the only sound the usual noises of the ship and Iggy's occasional squawks, till Roxas asked where they were going next.

"Radiant Garden," Sora said, his voice grim. "The others are supposed to meet us there eventually anyway. I helped Max and Daisy and Queen Minnie evacuate everyone in Disney Town to the castle. They should be safe now that we're gone. We can send word to the King from Radiant Garden about what happened."

Naminé stared out the window and sighed. She could only hope Master Eraqus's rescue had gone more smoothly than this trip had.

* * *

A/N: I always thought it would be fun for Max and Sora to meet, so I enjoyed writing that part of this chapter especially. A big thank you to the two guests who left reviews for me last week, and as always, thank you for reading!


	30. Chapter 30 - Time

Chapter 30 – Time

"Terra, are you sure you're ready for this?"

Eraqus felt the steady beat of his student's heart. "Yes, Master," he replied.

Eraqus glanced out of Terra's body one last time. They were in the data version of Twilight Town, in the basement of the mansion. The floors and walls were a brilliant, blinding white, and they were all gathered next to the stasis pod where Sora had slept.

Xion and Mickey sat on either side of Terra. They couldn't substitute for Kairi, but as the most gifted white magic users besides her, they could at least ease the pain for Terra. And of course Riku was here as well, since he was the one who would perform the heart dive. There was no further reason for delay, other than Eraqus's own concerns for Terra's safety.

"Then I am, too," Eraqus said at last.

Riku took Terra's hands, and the process began. It didn't take long before Riku found Eraqus in a memoryscape of the Land of Departure. Eraqus wondered if Riku recognized the place, as different as it was in Eraqus's memories to how it was now.

"Master Eraqus," Riku said, offering his hand.

"Master Riku," Eraqus began, and Riku started.

 _The boy is still not used to being addressed in such a manner,_ Eraqus noted with some amusement.

"It is an honor to meet you again," he finished, taking Riku's hand.

"The honor is mine," Riku said, and for a moment Eraqus didn't see Riku; he saw Xehanort, saw him before all this happened, back when Eraqus thought he had his respect and friendship.

When had it all gone wrong?

At least Riku hadn't made Xehanort's mistake. Or if he had, he had turned back and fixed it before it was too late. He and Sora hadn't repeated the previous generation's errors, and now they had the chance to make things right.

 _If only… If only Xehanort had a heart as caring as yours. A heart that protects instead of destroys._

Looking at Riku, at someone who reminded him so much of his former friend, brought back painful memories of happier times. It was to those more innocent times he would have to return to do what had to be done.

His heart floated out of Terra's body, and it was a strange sensation indeed. Terra's body had never been his, but it had been his refuge for so long that without it his heart felt cold, exposed. For a moment he had the urge to re-enter it, but then he felt a sharp tugging that pulled him to the ground.

Terra groaned and clutched his chest, but Mickey and Xion were quick to heal him and ease his pain. Once Riku's eyes fluttered open, Xion was by his side in an instant.

"Are you okay?" she asked, helping him sit up.

"Yeah. Smoothest dive yet. Either I'm getting better at this, or Sora loves making things difficult for me."

That got a smile from her. "Maybe so. His heart really is like a labyrinth, isn't it?"

"You would know," he said with a grin.

Eraqus examined his arms and legs. They were becoming more solid, more corporal, more real with each passing moment till at long last he had a body again.

"Terra," he said, testing the vocal cords of his newly formed body. It was his voice, no longer disembodied in someone's head, but coming out of his throat and mouth like it should be. His eyes could see the passage of time in Terra's face, and he smiled sadly at his student.

"Thank you," was all he said, trusting Terra to understand the full meaning behind his words.

Once greetings and introductions and re-introductions were taken care of, his thoughts turned to his mission.

 _Xehanort, it's time. I will put an end to what you began, no, to what we began, so long ago._

* * *

"You know, I think that was the first time I ever beat you." Eraqus quickened his pace to match the easy, deliberate stride of his friend. Their footsteps echoed across the stone floor, and they passed through the bookshelves of the Master's study and made their way to the main hall.

"And it's going to be the last," Xehanort said, smiling wryly. "You just got lucky."

"You call that luck? That was all skill. I told you not to underestimate me." He grinned and pushed open the great doors.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Ever since Xehanort had arrived, there hadn't been a dull moment at the castle. Eraqus couldn't even remember what life had been like before Xehanort had come here, nor did he want to. Because at long last, he'd found someone who was his equal in mind if not yet in skill.

And to be fair, Eraqus had been training for years. Even though Xehanort had gotten a late start in comparison, he was making progress so quickly even the Master was impressed. She'd had to come up with a whole new curriculum for him, because nothing she used for her other pupils was enough of a challenge for him.

 _No doubt he'll catch up to me soon. Then we can spar together and I won't have to hold back anymore._

They strode past portraits and busts of former Keyblade masters and turned into the hallway that lead to the dining room. "Xehanort, tell me more about your world."

It was one of Eraqus's favorite topics of conversation, talking about other worlds. But Xehanort just sighed.

"What else is there to tell? It's small and boring. The whole place is just a group of islands. I was dying to get off of that dump as soon as I could."

Eraqus didn't understand how Xehanort could think that way about his home. Especially from the way he'd described it. It sounded beautiful, and yet Xehanort had called it a prison.

"But it's surrounded by the sea, right?" Eraqus said. "I've never seen the ocean before. This world has a bunch of ponds and lakes, but no sea."

"It's not all that different from a lake, trust me. About the only difference is that the water has salt in it."

Eraqus tried to imagine such a body of water. All the lakes here were freshwater.

"I can't wait till I'm a Keyblade master," he said. "Then I can go to any world I want to."

Xehanort raised his eyebrow. "I thought we were supposed to protect the world order."

"That's easy. I just won't tell them where I'm really from."

Xehanort chuckled. "The Master figured out I wasn't from this world pretty quickly."

"Yeah, but she's different. Normal people won't figure that out because they don't even know there are other worlds."

"I suppose," Xehanort replied as they settled into their chairs and dug into the meal before them, roast chicken and green beans and toasted bread. The Master made sure all of her students got a well-rounded education, and that included knowing how to run a household (in this case, a castle). It showed, too. Meals were always delicious.

"Xehanort, Eraqus, thank you for finally joining us," she said, a teasing smile on her face. Her dark hair was pulled into a bun today, a few strands of gray peppering it. But her eyes twinkled like she was still in her prime, and her blue and gray robes allowed for ease of movement as she trained her students.

The others gave them a hard time for being late, but Eraqus took it all in stride. It was during moments like this that he wondered how Xehanort had even found out about the existence of other worlds. Had someone told him, or had he figured it out on his own?

Well, either way, there was one thing Eraqus knew for sure.

Xehanort was anything but ordinary.

* * *

Eraqus wandered around the marketplace later that day, the Master's supply list clutched in his hand.

"Let's see, we still need milk, eggs, bread, fruit, and cheese." He glanced at the stall nearby. A young farm girl named Priscilla was running it. She held a basket of eggs, and a coop of chickens cawked and cackled behind her.

Perfect. Several minutes later, and Eraqus was several hundred munny poorer but a dozen eggs richer.

That was when he first felt the strange sensation prickling the back of his neck. He turned around, but everyone else still milled around him, going about their shopping and business.

Huh. Maybe he'd just imagined it.

He continued on, deciding to save the milk for last, since it would be the heaviest. A quick stop by the baker's stall earned him a couple of loaves, a half dozen rolls, and a steaming hot bun. The last item came free of charge thanks to the baker, which was why Eraqus always enjoyed his shopping excursions. So much free food.

As he was snacking on the bun, he felt that strange prickling on the back of his neck again. He whirled around, and this time he caught a glimpse of an old brown cloak.

 _Who was that?_

Frowning, he put the rest of the uneaten bun back in the bag and continued on. The fruit and cheese were obtained easily enough, and he was about to buy a jug of milk when he saw the cloaked figure again, lurking in a nearby alleyway.

Sure enough, the figure was watching him. Or at least Eraqus thought so. It was difficult to say, with its face covered by a hood. As he watched, the figure lifted a hand and beckoned to him.

 _He… or she… wants me to come over? Why?_

A part of him knew it was dangerous, but his curiosity had been piqued, too. He paid for the milk and made his way to the alleyway. Whoever this was, he was going to find out.

He strolled over, trying to juggle all the items in his arms, and had a moment of regret as he realized he wouldn't be able to summon his Keyblade easily.

Oh well. The Master had warned them to never use the Keyblade unless absolutely necessary, and he had no reason to think this stranger wanted to hurt him. Not yet, anyway.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?" he asked when he was close enough to speak quietly and still be heard.

When the figure replied, his voice was low and gruff. "Meet me tonight at the mountain caves after sunset." And that was all. He turned around and strode away.

 _How… how does he know about those caves?_ They were Eraqus's favorite hideout. He hadn't even told Xehanort about them.

A small voice deep inside him warned him of the danger, but after dinner he excused himself and snuck off all the same. Across the drawbridge and up the winding mountain path he went, till at last he reached the small opening to the caves in question, half hidden by a boulder and clump of tall grass. Crouching low, he crawled through the opening, then straightened to his full height and went to the main cavern.

The figure was waiting for him there, still wearing the brown cloak.

Eraqus swallowed and took a step closer. "Who are you?"

"That, I cannot answer," the figure replied. "You will know who I am in due time. What matters is not who I am but the message I will give you."

"And what message would that be?"

"Before I give you my message, let me give you a warning. You must not tell anyone else of this until the time is right. Not your family, not your friends, not your master, and above all else, you must never breathe a word of it to Xehanort. Do you swear?"

Eraqus was taken aback. This man knew who Xehanort was? How?

"Why not? Why can't I—"

The figure reached out and grabbed his collar. The skin on his hand was scarred and sun-weathered, and his grip was surprisingly strong. _"Do you swear?"_

"I-I swear."

The figure relaxed. "Good. I apologize for my harsh manner, but the safety of all the worlds depends on this matter."

"It does?"

"Yes. You will understand someday, but for now I must ask you to trust me."

Eraqus raised his eyebrow. "Trust you? I don't even know you. How can I trust you?"

"Because I know you," the figure replied, his voice soft. Before Eraqus could ask him to clarify, he continued. "But as a I said, secrecy is of the utmost importance, which is why I have brought you here."

"I understand." The figure seemed to be speaking the truth, that much Eraqus could gather. "So, what is your message?"

The figure cleared his throat. "There is a prophecy that is the key to everything. When the time is right, return to this cave. In that alcove over there is a chest." He pointed to it. "Inside the chest is the prophecy. Take the prophecy, and you will know what to do with it from there. Do not attempt to remove it before then. The magic will not respond if you do, and it will remain locked."

Eraqus nodded. This was all vague and confusing, but not impossible to understand.

The figure turned to go, but then paused to say one more thing before he did. "No matter what happens, Eraqus, protect the light."

* * *

"Protect the light… Protect the light… What could that possibly mean?" Eraqus tapped the page of the book he was reading. It was opened to a picture and description of dozens of Keyblade wielders fighting each other over the light. Several more books with similar contents were spread out on the table around him.

"Studying the Great Keyblade War again?" came Xehanort's voice as he pulled out the chair next to him and sat down.

"Yes. I—"

Then he remembered the cloaked man's instructions and shut his mouth.

 _Why, of all people, did he want me to keep some prophecy a secret from Xehanort? I don't even know what it is yet._

Eraqus didn't like this. He didn't like this one bit. Sneaking around, keeping things from his closest friend. It didn't feel right.

"You've been thinking about it a lot lately, haven't you?" Xehanort said. Eraqus met his eyes, and Xehanort's were steady, unwavering, analyzing.

"Yes. I've been… wondering what the worlds were like before the Keyblade War." That much was true, at least. "Xehanort, what do you know of it?" he asked. "Are there any stories about it from your world?"

Xehanort didn't answer immediately. Instead, he selected a new book from the shelves, a dusty volume with a cover that had probably once been bright red and gold. Now it was dingy and torn, a testament to its age. A book of fairytales.

Flipping it open, he showed Eraqus the relevant story. A group of children, huddled together with lights shining in their hearts, was on the first page. The next page showed them pulling that light out and sharing it with each other. The last one was a double spread, full of rich colors and broad strokes as the children's light burst through the darkness and restored reality.

Well, as close as they could manage. In order for life to continue on, they'd had to split the one World into countless smaller worlds.

"I know this story," Eraqus said. "But I thought it was just a fairytale."

"But what if it's true?" Xehanort's eyes gleamed they way they always did when he was excited about learning something new. "What if the worlds really were once as one? Don't they feel small to you now? Don't you wonder what they might be like if they were joined together again?"

Eraqus frowned and studied the book again. "But if the story's true, the whole reason they were split apart was so the Keyblade War wouldn't happen again. People were fighting over the light, and they wouldn't stop until they were separated from each other." He paused, deep in thought. "The children did the right thing. They protected the light and the worlds."

Xehanort made a humming noise indicating neither agreement nor disagreement. "Eraqus, do you think the darkness is evil?"

Eraqus gave him a curious look. "Yes, of course." He pointed to the page in front of them, with the children's light bursting forth out of the darkness. "It almost destroyed everything. How could it not be evil?"

"Destruction, creation – don't they seem like two sides of the same coin to you? You cannot have creation without destruction, after all."

"That's not true," Eraqus said, not sure why this had suddenly turned into a philosophical discussion. "Creation must have come first, when the World came into being. If anything, what follows destruction is simply rebirth and renewal."

"But haven't both light and darkness always existed? Won't they continue on forever? It seems to me that you cannot have one without the other."

Eraqus didn't say anything, simply searched his friend's eyes, unsure of what he might find there. Xehanort stared back with an intensity that took Eraqus off guard.

"Since when did you become such a philosopher?" Eraqus finally asked, hoping to lighten the mood and put an end to this strange tension between them.

Xehanort was silent for a long moment, then let a slow smile spread across his face. "Since I met you, of course." He put his hand over Eraqus's for a moment before standing. "You truly bring out the best in me. I'm glad I met you, Eraqus."

Eraqus stared after him long after he'd left, still not sure what to make of the conflicted feelings swirling within him.

Surely the cloaked man was wrong. Eraqus had no reason to distrust Xehanort.

They were friends, after all.

* * *

Eraqus tried his best to put that conversation and the mysterious prophecy out of his head in the years that followed. He poured all his energy into his training, and Xehanort did likewise. They sparred together, studied together, went on missions together.

And never once did Eraqus have any reason to doubt him. Xehanort was the perfect confidant, supporter, and friend, and he pushed Eraqus to new heights he never would have achieved on his own. Eraqus likewise inspired Xehanort to be better, stronger; they truly did bring out the best in each other.

And that was how they had arrived to this moment, the day their master dubbed them both Keyblade masters. They stood before her in the throne room of the castle as she beamed down at them.

"Eraqus, Xehanort, congratulations on achieving your Mark of Mastery," she said, her brown eyes twinkling. "Your hard work has paid off."

The other pupils cheered, and she gave them a brief smile before being overcome by another one of her coughing fits.

Eraqus frowned as she searched her robes for her handkerchief, her hands shaking so badly she nearly dropped it. She wasn't young anymore, it was true, but she had never let anything stop her from training her students. This strange illness that had plagued her for the last few weeks had slowed her down, though, and her symptoms hadn't improved at all – not with rest, not with medicine, not even with magic. Even the town doctor didn't know what to make of her sickness.

"Master Eraqus, Master Xehanort," she said, when she had gotten through the worst of the coughing fit, "there is much knowledge I must share with you. Please come with me. The rest of you are dismissed."

They followed her to the study, and she shared all kinds of information with them that they had only dreamed about learning before – sealing and unsealing worlds, rapid travel from place to place, upgrading Keyblade armor to its most powerful form.

There was even a whole section of the study that she kept under lock and key, and she gave them both access to it to return to whenever they liked. When the session was over, she excused herself and told them they were free to keep studying.

Eraqus frowned as he watched her retreating form. She stumbled around as she made her way to the door, and he rushed to open it for her.

"Thank you, Eraqus." He held out his arm, and she looped hers through his and leaned against him for balance. He escorted her to one of the guest bedrooms on the first floor. Her own bedroom had been neglected in recent days. It was just too much of an effort for her to go up the long flight of stairs leading to it.

Helping her settle into bed, he asked her if she needed anything before he left.

"I'll be alright, thank you. I just need to rest." She sank back against the pillow and sighed, and he pulled up the soft down comforter around her.

"Master, what do you think this is, really?"

She sighed again, her eyes darting to the stack of old books on the bedside table. "I wish I had an answer for you, but the truth is, I don't know."

It was Eraqus's turn to sigh. Not even after he'd sought out every book about illnesses he could get his hands on (and from several different worlds, no less) had he found anything useful.

"Whatever it is, I don't think it's natural," he said, frowning.

"Yes, I have long since come to that conclusion myself," she said with a wry smile. "I've been researching magical causes, but nothing matches my symptoms."

"We'll have to keep looking, then," he promised, giving her hand a squeeze. He spoke with her about a few more things after that, but her eyelids drooped lower and lower till she fell fast asleep. He tucked the blanket around her and turned out the light before returning to the study.

Xehanort was still there, engrossed in one of the Master's books. Of course.

"Xehanort, she's getting worse," Eraqus said, sitting down next to him, but Xehanort hardly looked up from his book.

"And that is why I must continue my studies," was his reply. "There is still much for me to learn, and I am determined to find a cure for her."

Eraqus grabbed the book and shoved it down to the table with a loud smack. "Xehanort, this is serious. You know you're not going to find anything about it here. We've already looked."

Xehanort removed Eraqus's hand from the book and resumed reading. "Then perhaps the reason behind her illness is not to be found on this world."

Eraqus groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. "That's what I've been saying! I've been searching medical books and healing spells and—"

"Eraqus." Xehanort finally looked up, and his face was grim. "Something tells me you've been looking in all the wrong places. If magic really is the cause of this, it is not healing magic that you should be researching."

Xehanort's words slammed into him like that time he'd accidentally crashed against the castle wall during one of their sparring sessions. But of course! Magic that healed and restored couldn't possibly be responsible for her illness.

"You're right! That's it, it has to be! Xehanort, thank you!" he cried, springing to his feet. But then another thought occurred to him, and he froze.

"But if it's not healing magic… and if it's not light-based magic, then…" He met Xehanort's eyes and found the confirmation he sought.

"It's dark magic, isn't it?" he asked. He knew the saboteur spells that poisoned and stopped and slowed down and shrunk enemies. That was a regular part of any Keyblade wielder's training. And elemental magic was often called black magic and its practitioners black mages, as opposed to the white mages who specialized in healing spells.

But that was a far cry from magic that drew upon the darkness itself. Magic that tortured the souls of its victims and casters alike, growing more and more powerful until it took over the bodies of its hosts and forced them to do its will. No wonder he hadn't thought to look – he had no desire to obtain such terrible knowledge.

"Xehanort, what should we do?" he asked, clutching the edge of the table.

Xehanort finally closed the book and gave him his full attention. "Go on a fact-finding mission, of course. I haven't turned up anything either, and we must seek answers on other worlds. Well, at least one of us should. The other should stay behind and take care of her."

"I'll do it," Eraqus said. "I'll go."

He told her his plan when he went to check in on her later on, and she agreed to it on the one condition that he be gone no longer than a week.

He went into town to buy himself provisions for his journey after that. The baker saw him and stopped him, waving him over to his stall.

"Eraqus! I heard the news. Congratulations to you and Xehanort! Here, this one's on me." He handed him a whole bag of fruit tarts, Eraqus's favorite sweet.

"Thank you," Eraqus said, taking the tarts from him. They were even more delicious than usual, the perfectly ripe kiwis and strawberries with lime glaze on top just the thing he was craving.

"All I can say is, you've more than earned it. We're proud to have such talented Keyblade wielders as yourself around. Tell me, are the rumors about who will inherit the castle and title true?"

Eraqus waved his hand. "No, don't listen to gossip. I'm sure that—"

"But the lady of the castle is ill, is she not? We're all concerned for Master Junia's health, and—"

Eraqus sighed. So even the townspeople knew. "Yes. But you didn't hear it from me."

Eraqus hadn't even been gone three days when Xehanort sent him word to return home at once. The Master was completely bedridden. Her face looked even paler than before, her veins unusually dark beneath her skin and her hair completely white. As soon as she saw him, she clutched his hand. Hers was icy cold and trembling, and a strange, unfocused look entered her eyes.

"Don't leave me again," she whispered. "They're after me. They only stay away when you're here."

He sat on the bed. "Who? Who's after you?"

She tugged on his hand, and he leaned in closer. "The monsters," she whispered, and even her breath felt cold against his cheek.

"The monsters?" came Xehanort's voice. "Master, are you feeling quite well?" He raced to her side and knelt next to the bed.

She convulsed violently, her breath coming out in loud, panting gasps. She thrashed against Eraqus, and he and Xehanort both had to pin her down to keep her from smacking her head against the headboard and hurting herself.

"Master!" Eraqus cried. And as suddenly as the episode had begun, it ended. She opened her eyes, and he thought he saw just the tiniest flecks of gold in them before she blinked and it was gone.

"That's it, I'm getting the doctor," Eraqus said, springing to his feet.

"No—" she said, her grip weak but her voice strong. "Stay with me, please. Xehanort, I want you to call everyone here."

"But Master—" Eraqus protested.

"Do what I say," she commanded, and they knew not to argue.

It didn't take long for Xehanort to round everyone up and bring them to her room. Eraqus helped her sit up, propping pillows behind her till she was comfortable.

"My pupils," she began. Her face was deathly pale and her eyes had dark circles under them. "As you can see, my health has taken a turn for the worse. I do not know how much longer I will be with you. My return to Kingdom Hearts draws near. As such, it is time for me to announce who will be my successor."

Xehanort stood up straighter, and several of the students looked like they wanted to cry. She lifted her hand from underneath the covers, and it shook greatly.

"Eraqus," she said, smiling. For a moment she looked healthy, radiant, young again. "I give you my land and my title. Carry on my legacy and train the next generation of Keyblade wielders."

Eraqus stared at her in shock. She had chosen him? And only him? He stole a glance at Xehanort, but his friend's expression was unreadable.

"And Xehanort," she continued, her eyes likewise traveling to him and an icy tone entering her voice, "you are hereby banished from this land. You are not to set foot in it as long as I live. Eraqus, once I am gone, I trust you will keep him away from my students and my people."

With that, she smiled at Eraqus one last time. The room was in an uproar, and he was the only one who saw her eyes close for the last time, the only one who heard her take her last breath and noticed the moment her heart and soul left her body. Everyone else was too busy turning on Xehanort and figuring out what her words might mean.

The next few hours were a blur. Voices, so many voices around him, all saying terrible things that couldn't possibly be true.

"Xehanort was the one who made Master Junia sick! Xehanort killed her! Her health deteriorated too quickly! It wasn't natural! Why else would she have banished him? He's guilty, guilty I tell you!"

Without investigation, without lawyer, without trial, without justice, Xehanort was driven off the world. Eraqus watched as he donned his Keyblade armor, just like they were about to go off on another mission. All around them the crowds jeered and shouted, the very people who had once welcomed him with open arms.

But Xehanort paid them no mind. "Goodbye, my friend," he simply said to Eraqus, his eyes filled with sorrow and resignation, and with that he was gone.

Eraqus seethed at the injustice of it all. He attended to his duties in the Master's stead, but his heart was elsewhere. He carried on her legacy and followed her instructions, but every spare moment he searched for a clue, any sort of clue, as to her strange sickness and sudden demise. It was the only way he could clear Xehanort's name and bring him home.

It was in an ancient, dusty book from a great library on another world that he finally found his answer.

Dark Plague. All the symptoms fit – the hair color change, the pale skin, the flecks of gold in her eyes, the rapidly fading health, the muscle tremors, the paranoia. It was a rare disease caused by the darkness, and no known cases had been recorded in more than a hundred years.

"Of course," Eraqus said, slamming the book shut. "Of course it was caused by the darkness." He hated it even more, hated the thing that had stolen his best friend and his master away from him. The cloaked figure's warning from so long ago rang even truer than before.

"I will protect the light," he said, tucking the book into his cloak and donning his armor. "I will stop the darkness and put an end to the evil it represents." His helmet clicked into place and he opened a portal to the Lanes Between. "And Xehanort, I will clear your name once and for all."

He did, but his own name suffered as a result. The townspeople still didn't trust Xehanort and were furious about Eraqus going against Master Junia's final wishes. They moved far away and started an entirely new settlement, leaving the castle town a mere ghost of its former self.

Xehanort didn't stay for long, but the damage had already been done. Eraqus's pupils left him, and no new ones replaced them till the day a young orphan with brown hair and blue eyes showed up on his doorstep.

Eraqus remembered clearly the day he introduced Terra to Xehanort. He should have known. He should have known what would happen, the way Xehanort looked at Terra with such interest.

Master Junia was right about Xehanort. She was right about everything. If only he'd trusted her. Oh how he rued the day he didn't follow her instructions, all because of his blind refusal to see the truth staring him in the face.

It wasn't the fault of the darkness, no. That was just a tool, a means to an end. Xehanort was the one who was evil. He had been evil all along, and his friendship was worthless; meaningless. He'd used Eraqus from the day they first met. Which was why it was up to Eraqus to make things right.

Xehanort was his oldest and dearest friend, after all.

* * *

Eraqus emerged from the Lanes Between only to be greeted by a blast of cold air. His brown cloak billowed around him, and he had to pull it tight to keep it from getting in the way.

Home at last, and the place was a ghost town. He looked down at the castle far beneath him and the town below that. It had been deserted for quite some time even before Aqua had sealed it, but even the castle of his youth looked derelict and forlorn now.

Eraqus sighed and continued his climb up the mountain to the cave. The boulder was still there, partially obscuring the entrance just as it had years and years ago. He crawled through the entrance and made his way over to the alcove. The little chest waited for him, and the magic sealing it responded to his presence. It opened, and there was the page from the prophecy, still in one piece after all these years. He couldn't remember hiding it there, but he knew he must have.

He sighed again, but this time out of relief, because Xehanort hadn't found it. He rolled the prophecy up into a scroll and tucked it inside his cloak. Reading it here was too risky, so it would have to wait till he was somewhere safer.

His plan had paid off, but at what cost? Had his own words to his younger self been the very catalyst that had blinded him to the truth of what Xehanort was?

 _Maybe, if I hadn't become so obsessed with the light… If I hadn't blamed the darkness for everything..._

But no, that only accounted for part of it. Xehanort's fascination with the darkness had begun before Eraqus had even met him. His obsession was as much to blame for all of this as Eraqus's blind fixation on the light.

 _What would've happened if I'd listened to my heart? If I'd tried to reach him where he was, and not where I wanted him to be?_

But such thoughts were foolish, because the past could not be changed. It was time to meet the others and read the words of the true prophecy.

* * *

A/N: To last week's guest, I'm glad you enjoyed the part with Max!

And as always, thank you to everyone who read and a big thank you to my reviewers! I always wondered what Eraqus and Xehanort's friendship was like before everything went south, so I really enjoyed writing about it this chapter. We're actually getting into the final arc of the story here in a couple more chapters - the total chapter count will be about 37 chapters plus roughly 2-3 chapters worth of epilogue material (I'm still writing the epilogue, so we'll see how things go).

It's been a wonderful journey and I appreciate all your support! See you next week!


	31. Chapter 31 - Good

Chapter 31 – Good

Ven paced from one end of the room to the other, the shuffling of his shoes echoing across the walls of Merlin's Time Chamber. Right now there was no need for it to be anything but a room with some couches and chairs, so that was what it was.

"Ven, aren't you tired?" Aqua patted the spot on the couch next to her. "Here, you can sit here till the Master arrives." She was sitting awfully close to Terra, so there was plenty of room left on the couch. Which was fluffing itself out to look as appealing as possible, because of course Merlin had sentient furniture.

"I'm good." It was true, he and Aqua and the others (well, except for Kairi and Master Yen Sid) had only arrived back from their mission a little while ago. The barriers around the worlds were a lot stronger now, and the princesses were safely hidden again. And he supposed he should be tired. He was just too nervous to do anything but pace.

The Master was coming. He and Aqua hadn't seen him yet, except in Terra's heart, and—

Riku strolled in the room with Xion close behind. Xion handed Aqua a little paper package filled with suspicious-looking lumps, and Riku dug around in his pocket and pulled out some change. "We got the stuff you asked for, Aqua."

Aqua thanked them before taking a moment to peek inside. When Terra and Ven tried to look, she hid it from them both, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Uh-uh! It's a surprise."

Riku and Xion settled onto the bigger couch next to Donald and Goofy, and floating teacups brought them Merlin's trademark mystery tea. Roxas and Naminé were deep in conversation with Mickey and Merlin about what, Ven wasn't sure. Probably Xemnas and Ansem's ambush.

Ven still couldn't forget the gut-wrenching fear and panic Sora had experienced, because it had felt like someone had slammed _him_ into a wall, too. Seemed like this link between them was here to stay. At least Sora's heart wasn't leaking pain left and right anymore though. Ven wanted to talk to him to see how he was doing, but he still wasn't allowed in on the plan.

Ven scowled and kicked the wall with his toe, only for the door to fly open.

"Master!" he cried, racing over to Master Eraqus and throwing his arms around him. Heart hugs just weren't the same as the real deal. Especially not when Master Eraqus hugged him back and said all sorts of mushy dad things he never would have before.

Then it was Aqua's turn, but she didn't mind the mushy stuff. And when it was over, she stepped forward, the Master's Keyblade in her hand. The Keyblade she'd kept safe for him for so long, the Keyblade he'd left behind for her as a symbol of his protection, his care. It was time to return it.

"Here you are, Master," she said, a gentle smile on her face.

Master Eraqus took it from her, letting his hand linger on it for a moment before allowing it to disappear. "Thank you, Aqua, for keeping it safe for me all this time."

"Eraqus," came Merlin's voice from across the room. He adjusted his spectacles and peered at Master Eraqus's robes. "You have it, don't you?"

Master Eraqus nodded.

"The room's sealed, don't worry. Nothing's getting in or out of here."

Master Eraqus cleared his throat and fished a small, tube-shaped container out of his robes. He went to the middle of the room and sat down on one of the chairs, and everyone settled in around him. With trembling fingers he opened the container and unrolled the scroll. The paper was frayed around the edges and discolored from age, but the writing was still clear. Probably because it was magic.

"On that land, darkness shall prevail and light expire," he began, his voice loud and clear like it always was when he read something out loud. It was the same as the part of the prophecy they already knew. He continued on, and everyone leaned in closer, watching as more words appeared before their very eyes.

"And when all hope is gone and the hour most dire

Lift your eyes to the heavens and see

The ruler of Kingdom Hearts rise to be

The power of life, the power of death

Commanding the worlds with every breath."

The room was dead silent. You could have heard a Stealth Sneak with how quiet it was.

"So, um, that means we still have a chance of winning, right?" Ven asked, looking nervously from Aqua to Terra. "We don't know who the ruler of Kingdom Hearts will be. Could be one of us."

"Could also be Xehanort," Roxas muttered. Ven wanted to groan. For sharing the same face, Roxas sure could be a Debbie Downer sometimes.

"Hey, that's a huge improvement over light expiring with no hope of anything afterwards," Ven shot back.

Riku raised his eyebrow. "Is it though? I don't know how I feel about Xehanort ruling over everything."

"That is his goal," Master Eraqus said. "But Ventus is right. The identity of the ruler of Kingdom Hearts is not specified. It could be one of us, or it could be Xehanort. It's up to us to make sure it isn't Xehanort."

Naminé chewed her lip, and Xion gave him a doubtful look. "But Master Eraqus—"

He held the scroll in the air. "Don't you see? This is hope, real hope. The future is already beginning to change, I can feel it. Perhaps before Xehanort was the fated ruler of Kingdom Hearts, but not anymore. We'll make sure it's not him. Light expiring doesn't have to be the end. Not of us, and not of the future we hope for."

All of that work, and only for this vague clue. But still, Ven would take it. He would take any chance of winning.

"Master," Aqua said, handing him the container so he could put the scroll back in. "I still think we're going to lose."

Yikes, was everyone here in the room feeling as bad about their chances as Roxas? Since when did that happen?

"But in losing win. Or have a chance at winning, anyway," Terra said, putting his arm on Aqua's shoulder. The crinkle lines on her face relaxed, and Terra smiled at her.

"That is correct," Master Eraqus said as he stood once more. "It is a heavy burden to ask of you when so much is at stake. But will you all join me?"

"Yes," Mickey said without hesitation. Donald and Goofy chimed in with their agreement, followed by everyone else. They made the final plans after that. Master Eraqus told Riku to fill Kairi in on the details later, and with that, he dismissed them all to make their final preparations.

"What will you do, Master?" Terra asked, remaining behind.

"Merlin, you wouldn't happen to have any spare stationary, would you?" Master Eraqus asked. "Something tells me Xehanort will be pleased to hear we're ready to meet him."

* * *

"Ven, read me that last line again, would you?" Aqua asked, tucking her hair out of the way. Terra couldn't help but admire the way it fell over her face. She was crouching by a black cauldron, and a low fire was lit underneath it. The concoction inside was crystal clear, and she slowly stirred it with a long wooden ladle.

Ven opened Aqua's _Potions and Elixirs_ book and read off the instructions from the recipe tucked inside its pages one more time. "Add in the feather of the firebird, then stir the potion counterclockwise three times. The concoction will turn bright red. Take it off the fire and let cool, then store in an airtight container."

Aqua held out her hand, and Terra handed her the feather. His fingers lingered for a moment, enjoying how solid and real her hand felt. Too many times had she tried to hold his hand, only for his to slip through her grasp. Her eyes flickered briefly to his, then she put the feather into the potion and stirred it. It turned red, just like the instructions said it would, and he handed her the flask she'd prepared so she could pour the liquid inside.

"There," she said, nodding in satisfaction. "One Phoenix Down that I can use to make one of those special barriers I've been reading about. I wish I'd been able to grab more feathers, but there wasn't enough time."

Ignis the firebird wasn't big enough to make proper feathers for them yet, either. They'd have to make do with what they had.

"What's next?" Ven asked.

"How about some Elixirs?" Terra suggested, picking up the little bag of daisies he'd gathered earlier to show them.

"Good idea. I'll start preparing the base." Aqua stood, only for a light knocking at the door to interrupt them. She picked her way over the potion book and piles of ingredients to open it. It was Sora. Terra was glad he'd come by, because Aqua and Ven hadn't had the chance to talk to him yet since they'd left Destiny Islands.

"Aqua, I—"

She threw her arms around him. The water bottle and blanket in his hands fell to the floor as he hugged her back, and she launched into a list of inquiries about his health.

"You've been eating, right? And getting enough sleep, and exercising, and—"

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I've been feeling a lot better lately." He bent over to pick the blanket and water bottle up, only for Ven to tackle him with a hug.

Sora laughed softly as he steadied them both. At some point in all of this he'd gotten taller than Ven. "You okay there?" he asked.

Ven leaned back to look him in the eye and smiled sadly. "Isn't that my line? And before I forget, Sora, Aqua and I never really got to say thank you for rescuing Terra. Sorry about that, but we really are grateful."

Something flickered in Sora's eyes, and Terra knew he couldn't let the moment go to waste.

"Sora, look." Terra put his hands on Aqua and Ven's shoulders and brought the three of them together. "This wouldn't be possible without you."

Aqua nodded, putting her own hand over Terra's. "There were so many moments when I was afraid I'd never see Terra or Ven again. But you made it happen, Sora. You made sure we could be reunited." She smiled softly, and Terra thought that her smile had never been so beautiful.

"We know the price you paid to save us," Ven said. "We never wanted you to suffer like we did, but—"

"It was worth it."

Terra couldn't believe his ears. Aqua and Ven's jaws dropped, and they both started to tear up as Sora continued.

"Not the part where I hurt Riku and Kairi. Never that. And the other stuff… it was awful." He shuddered, then paused a moment to gather his thoughts. "But seeing you guys all together like this? I look at you, and I feel like what I went through meant something. It wasn't for nothing. It wasn't pointless. For once, what Xehanort did didn't just lead to more suffering. Something good came out of it, too. Not because of anything he'd done, but because I wanted it to. Because I made it happen."

His voice grew stronger, more confident. "And I think that's the key to defeating him." He took their hands in his. "Terra, Aqua, Ven, we will make good come from this. That's a promise."

"Yes. We'll transform the darkness into light," Terra said.

Ven nodded. "Yeah. We won't let Xehanort ruin any more lives."

"And we'll help you restore the ones he has ruined," Aqua added.

In that moment Terra supposed there would always be evil in the worlds, just like there would always be light and darkness. But there was good too, good in this boy who had saved them, good in his friends and their friends, good in every small gesture of kindness and every big sacrifice.

And so long as even one person chose good, chose to help instead of hurt, there was hope for the future. And if two people chose good, or three, or even four, that decision would reach out to even the furthest world.

For while evil was powerful enough to make the stars go out, all it took to reignite them was one heart shining brilliantly in the sky.

* * *

Aqua dipped her toes in the water of the Fountain Court, relishing the feel of the cool liquid against her bare skin. Her stockings and boots and gloves lay to the side, and the water lapped at her feet as she gazed at the stars shining in the sky like hundreds of diamonds.

"Just as beautiful as they were in the dark realm. No, even more beautiful," she said aloud, to no one in particular. Sometimes, in her moments alone like this, she forgot that she was back. The habit of talking to herself had carried over from her time in the realm of darkness. So it was a bit of a shock when someone responded.

"But are they as beautiful as the ones back home?"

"Terra." For a moment, she almost felt embarrassed that he'd caught her stargazing alone like this, stockings and shoes stripped off and legs bare, even though he'd seen her in even less modest attire multiple times over the past few months. She cleared her throat and fumbled for her gloves. "Y-you know all the worlds share the same sky."

He sat on the little bridge next to her, taking off his shoes as well. "Mind if I join you? The Master's busy right now, and everyone else is off doing other stuff."

She swallowed and shook her head. It still didn't feel real sometimes, that Terra was here. She'd wanted him back for so long that she was afraid he would be snatched away from her again. Her eyes followed his every movement as he leaned back and raked a hand through his hair, a perfect little smile on his face as he closed his eyes and sighed.

"I'm glad we can spend one last night together," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "I never thought I'd get to watch the stars with you again like this."

"Ven should be here, too," Aqua said, though a strange part of her was glad he wasn't. Not because she didn't want him here, but because a small, selfish voice in the back of her head wanted Terra all to herself.

Wait, had she really just had that thought? Her face flushed. She hoped Terra couldn't notice her pink cheeks in the dark.

"He'll find us." Terra held out his Wayfinder and grinned. "Want me to signal him?"

"No, wait—" She put a hand over his to stop him, and his eyes locked with hers.

His voice was lower when he spoke, and it set butterflies loose in her stomach. "You don't want him to come."

"No, I do, just… not yet."

Her heart pounded in her chest. This was all new ground, expressing what she wanted so boldly.

It was funny, how she could handle battle after battle just fine and wander in the realm of darkness for years on end and come out alive. But when it came to matters of the heart, she felt completely out of her element.

He smiled, and she let out a deep breath.

"I understand," he said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as his expression grew serious. "Aqua, I know I said it before, but thank you again for saving me."

Aqua's expression hardened. "Even though it let Xehanort carry out his plans?"

"Give yourself some credit. You gave him amnesia, and that delayed him until Sora and Riku could do something about it."

Aqua leaned against Terra's chest and sighed. "They've done well, haven't they? I'm so proud of them. Kairi, too."

Terra put his arm around her, his hand gently moving up and down her arm. "I can tell you've been training her. She's good. I'm glad your dream came true."

Aqua's cheeks flushed again, this time for a different reason. Terra had never really praised her before. Come to think of it, he and Ven hadn't even really congratulated her for becoming a master. They'd always just sort of taken her accomplishments for granted. Like it was expected that she did well, and when she did it was nothing out of the ordinary and therefore not praiseworthy.

Terra had changed, and while she wished he hadn't been through all the things he had, maybe some good had come of it.

"Well, I can't take credit for all of that. Merlin trained her first, and she's got plenty of raw talent."

Terra laughed, the rumbling in his chest pleasant against Aqua's ear. "Still not giving yourself the credit you deserve." He brushed his fingers through her hair. "Not that I ever did. Sorry about that, too."

She looked up into his eyes. "Remember how you told me I've changed? So have you."

"Well," he said, his voice gruff, "I had a lot of time to think about what was really important."

"Me too." She traced patterns into his chest, enjoying the way he tensed and then relaxed into her touch.

"Aqua—"

"Yes?"

"When all of this is over, what do you want?"

She pursed her lips, her hand curling around his shirt. "It's funny, Donald and Goofy asked me the same thing. I told them I wanted to train other Keyblade wielders and open a Keyblade Academy someday."

The more she shared her dream, the more realistic it seemed. She could make it happen. She would make it happen.

"Anything else?" Terra's eyes were beautiful in the moonlight, their steady gaze focused completely on her.

She smiled and poked his cheek, earning a surprised reaction from him. "You first. I've already shared one of my dreams, it's only fair."

"Well, you already know that I want to become a Keyblade master."

"Yes. And that dream will come true, I know it will. Any others?"

Terra looked out toward the cascading fountains a little ways away. "Aqua, I think… I think you already know what the other one is."

She tilted her head to one side. "No, what?"

He looked at her again, and she felt dizzy. Everything around them was a blur. All except for him. The breeze ruffled his dark hair, his eyes shining, a gentle smile on his face. He cupped her cheek, his calloused fingers rough against her skin. Aqua swallowed, not really believing this was happening.

"You. You're my dream, Aqua." His other hand went around her waist, and she gasped. He leaned in close, his breath tickling her cheek, and something inside of her snapped. It was with more enthusiasm than either of them were expecting that she met him the rest of the way.

His mouth felt exquisite against hers, and she threw all of her careful control and poise away at long last as they embraced. When his hand slid lower, a pleasurable shudder ran through her body. She felt safe in his arms, safe and whole. She wrapped her legs around him, and he moaned and adjusted his grip on her.

It wasn't enough. It was the closest they'd ever been, and she wanted him closer still.

But their shift in weight had thrown them off balance. They went tumbling into the water, and the sudden movement broke them apart. They sat up and stared at each other, chests heaving, eyes wide, water dripping from their faces and hair and clothes. The fact that they were halfway submerged hardly mattered.

Terra moved closer, one hand going back around her waist and the other weaving into the strands of her wet hair. She brought her hands to his face and took a deep breath. But then his eyes landed on something behind her. Even in the dark Aqua could see his face flushing crimson, and he let go of her and cleared his throat.

"Uh, hey Ven."

Aqua's own face flushed as she straightened her clothes and turned to face their unexpected visitor. Ven was bright red, his mouth hanging wide open.

"How long have you been standing there?!" Aqua demanded.

Ven plastered his hand over his eyes. "I didn't mean to spy, I promise! I was looking for you guys, and when I found you, you were— you were— _kissing!_ "

Ven said that last part as if it were a bad word. Terra laughed, and the sound sucked all the tension out of the air. "Sorry about that. We should have given you a heads up."

Aqua nudged him. "It's not like we were planning on this."

Terra's grin was downright wicked. "Oh, you might not have been, but I was."

"Terra!" She gave him a scandalized smack. Just how long had he been—

"It's our final night before the big fight. I wanted to make it special."

And just like that, her embarrassment deflated, only to be replaced by an even more scandalous (and thrilling) thought. Just _how_ special had Terra wanted their time together to be?

"All I can say is, it's about time," Ven said, giving them a teasing smile. "You don't know how exasperating it was, watching the two of you pine after each other for all those years. I was about ready to intervene myself."

"Ven!" Terra and Aqua said. He just looked at them with that stupid cheeky grin, and they couldn't help but laugh.

It was so good to hear their laughter again, to hear her own laughter. It had been too long. Ven joined them on the bridge, and the three of them gazed up at the sky, hands intertwined.

Together again at last, under the same stars. Perhaps it would be for the last time, but Aqua chose to believe otherwise. This would be the first of many nights together. It was a beginning, not an ending.

All the precious stars in the sky were shining down on them, each a world filled with limitless possibilities. That was what they were fighting for. The future. Their dreams. Both the ones that had already come true, and the ones that had yet to come to pass.

Those stars were a promise, and Aqua clung to it as tightly as she clung to Terra and Ven's hands. They would fight, they would win, and they would make their dreams come true.

For dreaming, which had once seemed so scary to her, had transformed into something beautiful and filled with hope. It was the light that made the stars shine with the brilliance of a thousand suns.

And it was within them all now. They were ready to face Xehanort for the final time.

* * *

A/N: I think many of you would agree that that kiss was long overdue... anyway, thank you again to Guest for your review and thank you to my regular reviewers! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Like I mentioned last week, we're getting into the final arc, and there is some violent content coming up. I'll still warn you all when it comes to the particular chapters, I just wanted to give everyone an early heads up.

See you next week!


	32. Chapter 32 - Joy

Chapter 32 – Joy

"Remember, Xion, even if there's another card sandwiched between them, it still counts and you can slap it," Riku explained, lifting his hand from the table to show the Queen snuggly nestled between two tens.

"Got it." She held her fingers up and wiggled them, giving him a devilish grin. "You're going down, Riku."

Riku raised his eyebrow. "We'll see about that. Sora, wanna join us?"

Riku had asked Merlin to transform a room in the Time Chamber into his rec room from back home for tonight. He'd hoped that having a reminder of home would be enough to cheer Sora up. But instead, Sora was sprawled across the couch and hugging Kairi's squishy cat pillow, Mr. Meow. Riku decided not to ask how it had ended up here of all places.

"I'm okay," Sora said. "I'll just watch you guys for now."

"You wish Kairi was here, don't you?"

Well, it wasn't like Riku could blame him. Roxas and Naminé had already snuck off to do who knows what, and Terra and Aqua were noticeably absent, too. Mickey had even gone to see Minnie and check on Disney Town. Sora was probably disappointed that Kairi hadn't come back yet when all the other couples were pairing off.

"Yeah," Sora said softly.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon," Xion said, giving him a sympathetic look.

"I just want to see her before… you know, everything happens. It's our last night together, and I was hoping we could—" He turned red and poked Mr. Meow's face. "Oh, forget it."

Riku raised his eyebrow, and Sora shot icy blue daggers at him. "Not that, geez. Get your mind out of the gutter, Riku. We haven't even kissed yet, except when she was trying to save me from Xehanort." He buried his face in Mr. Meow's squishiness and sighed. "I just want to hold her again, that's all."

Xion made an awwww noise, and Riku just rolled his eyes. He got jabbed in the ribs for that, much to Sora's amusement.

"What?" Riku said. "I never said I was any good at this stuff."

Sora gave him an unreadable look. "And yet you manage anyway," he muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He looked to Xion, but she just shrugged, her eyes sparkling. Good thing she was here. Riku was happy for everyone, but it was starting to feel like all his friends were in a relationship. It was nice to have someone he could just be himself with and not feel like a third wheel around.

The door flew open with a loud clang. "Sora!" Donald shouted. "Kairi's back!"

Sora didn't have to be told twice. He sprung to his feet, and Mr. Meow went flying. He was out the door before Riku and Xion had even finished standing.

"Well?" Riku said. He wanted to see Kairi too, and he needed to fill her in on the plan for tomorrow. "Shall we?"

* * *

"Kairi."

Excusing herself from her conversation with Goofy and Master Yen Sid, Kairi raced to Sora. His arms were open wide, and she knew she was home the moment he wrapped them around her. He smelled like saltwater and sun with a hint of sweat, and he clung to her in a way that made her heart race, even while his embrace was comforting.

"You're safe, thank goodness you're safe," he murmured into her hair.

When he finally leaned back so he could look into her eyes, his had an almost anguished look in them.

"Sora, are you okay?" she asked with a frown. It sure didn't look like it.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not because of Xehanort, I promise. Your magic made sure of that. It's just been hard, knowing the danger you were in."

She chewed on her lip. "You were that worried about me?" She'd known, of course, but it was one thing to know and another to see firsthand the signs of his concern.

He ran his fingers through her hair, curling a strand of it around his finger. "Wasn't it obvious from my letters?"

Well, yes, it had been obvious. He'd sent her diary to her a few days ago, and she'd read it as soon as she could. He'd never admitted to being so lovesick before, and it was kinda adorable that he finally had.

Maybe writing brought out a side of him that he normally kept hidden. She'd have to find a reason for them to keep writing to each other, then.

"You just get sappier with age," she said, poking his cheek and grinning. "You know that, right?"

He smiled and leaned in close. "Yeah, but you wouldn't have it any other way."

He was right. He was absolutely right, and she threw her arms back around him and held him tight.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's a sap," he said softly, his hand going up and down her back in a soothing gesture.

Kairi didn't care. Everyone in the world could call her a sap and she wouldn't mind if it meant being here with him.

"I missed you," she said, keeping her voice low. "I counted down the days till I could see you again."

"So did I. Well, more like the hours."

Something had changed. Of course he had missed her on his journeys before, but not so much that it had ever kept him from leaving.

Maybe, after everything they'd been through, he couldn't stand being apart from her anymore. The thought made her more determined than ever to win, to create a world where they could be together.

It was with that on her mind that she told him to meet her again later. She still needed to talk to Riku and Xion about the plan and about what she'd been doing. They piled into the Time Chamber together, into a room that looked exactly like Riku's rec room back home. And was that Mr. Meow lying on the ground? Had Sora brought him here?

She bent over and picked him up. Yup. He still smelled like Sora. Ever since he'd won him for her at the summer festival back home, she'd made sure he hugged him every now and then so he would keep his smell. She took him back to the couch with her and settled next to Riku. Xion sat on the other side of him, and Kairi listened carefully as they explained the plan and took turns reciting the prophecy, her eyes going wider with every word.

"The ruler of Kingdom Hearts?" she asked. "Power over life and death? No wonder Xehanort wants the χ-blade for himself."

That didn't sound good. That didn't sound good at all. Riku and Xion had similar grim expressions on their faces. Had they really gone through all that trouble just to get another ambiguous clue?

"But… it doesn't say who the ruler will be," Kairi said, plucking at Mr. Meow's fur. "If anyone deserves to rule over Kingdom Hearts, it's—"

"Sora," they both finished for her, and even just hearing his name made her feel better.

"It _is_ him, it has to be," she said, sitting up straighter. "No one can connect hearts the way he can."

If she told herself that, she could keep Xehanort's ominous words out of her mind.

"Kairi, we had the same thought, but… we can't let our guard down," Riku said. "It would be a disaster if we did. And if we're going by who can connect hearts, well… Xehanort's just as good at sticking his heart into other people as Sora is bringing hearts into his."

"And it sounds like we might lose the battle anyway." Xion sighed and flopped against the back of the couch. "Whatever hope we have won't come until light expires, whatever that means."

"Maybe it means… we have to lose the battle to win the war," Kairi said, though she wasn't sure how she felt about that, either. "Listen, there was something else I was doing while I went around the worlds."

She explained what she'd been doing to Riku and Xion, and they both looked impressed.

"So you've been trying to strengthen Sora's ability? Good thinking, Kairi," Riku said, and she flushed. "Sora is always at his strongest when he's connected to his friends."

Xion nodded. "It might be just what he needs in the final battle. Just what we need, even."

"Actually…" Kairi said, setting Mr. Meow aside, "I have another idea."

It was time, at long last, to share her plan.

* * *

Kairi met Sora in the secret garden by the castle later that night. Xehanort had agreed not to attack anyone until tomorrow, and for once he was keeping his word. For tonight at least no one's safety was at risk.

The garden was as beautiful as Kairi had described, even if it was still in ruins. She was sitting with her back against an old stone wall and staring up at the stars, and she brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled when she saw him.

Sora just stared back at her. When she reached for his hand, it was kinda embarrassing how much of an effect she had on him. He'd missed her touch, craved it in their weeks spent apart.

"Sora, I have something I want to talk to you about," she said softly, twining their fingers together.

Uh-oh. That was never a good thing to hear.

"Don't worry, it's not like that." She looked up into his eyes and smiled sadly. "What I was going to say is, remember what I told Xehanort? About how you were with me when he experimented on me, even though that shouldn't really be possible?"

Sora nodded. How could he forget? That was the moment he'd first realized maybe something good could come from all of this.

"I meant it," she said. "Lately, I've been thinking… what if you really were there?"

"What do you mean?" Sora asked. He wished with all his heart that he could have been, but she hadn't been able to see or hear him. His stomach sank at the reminder of how completely and utterly powerless he'd been to help.

Kairi shook her head. "I don't know, but… your heart's special, and if anyone could find a way to do it, you could."

He knelt next to her, his throat closing up at her words. "Believe me, Kairi, if… if I could've let you know I was there, I would've."

"Well, I know now. I know you shared my suffering. I dreamed you freed me from that tank. And I held you as you cried for me in the Secret Place. I can't tell you how much all that means to me, Sora."

The lump in his throat got bigger. "Of course. It's the least I could do," he said softly. He meant it, too. Her suffering was his to bear. They were in this together.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Are you trying to make me cry, silly?"

"No. If I had my way, you'd never cry again. Not unless they were happy tears."

"I feel the same way." She cupped his cheek, and he melted into her touch. "And Sora… I brought all this up again because I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

She paused and fiddled with her necklace, not quite meeting his eyes. "If it's okay with you, I want to do for you what you did for me."

He took a deep breath. "Yes. Please."

Her eyes went wide at his agreement. He wanted to do this, and he'd even thought about asking her himself. It was brave of her to offer, and he wanted to keep rebuilding the trust between them.

And if sharing what had happened to him with Donald and Goofy had helped, he could only imagine how much better he'd feel after sharing it with her. She'd healed his heart before. There was no reason she couldn't do it again.

It was funny. He hadn't wanted her to know before. But she'd already seen him at his worst. Together she and Riku had pulled him out of the abyss. What were a few more nightmares in comparison?

"Are you sure?" she asked.

He attempted a smile. "Yeah. I can't keep this all bottled up inside of me. Not if I want to be able to fight tomorrow. I don't know if you heard, but… Xemnas and Ansem tried to take Roxas and Naminé, and my Heartless form came out again. I kept it under control, but… it's obvious I still need to be careful. Getting those feelings out will help, I think. Besides, I'm tired of hiding things from you. From now on, I'm telling you everything."

Because she deserved that much, at least.

She smiled sadly and poked his nose. "You don't have to tell me everything, you know. Just what you feel comfortable with."

"Yeah." He found her hands to hide the shaking in his and took another deep breath. "Kairi, this… this won't feel good. There's a lot of stuff that's… well, it's pretty bad." He chuckled weakly. "If you don't want to see it, I understand."

She shook her head. "I'm sticking with you no matter what." She gave his hands a gentle squeeze. "Share whatever you want with me."

He swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

"Start with something small, and we'll work our way up from there."

He paused, his resolve faltering. "Can I… Can I hold you?"

This would be easier, if he didn't have to look her directly in the eye. And holding her safe in his arms would be a good reminder that she was here and she was okay.

She nodded, and he leaned against the cold stone of the wall and held his arms out. She snuggled into his embrace, and he wrapped himself around her, hoping to shield her from the cruelty of what had happened to him, what had happened to them both.

He connected their hearts and began. In some ways, it was painful, reliving the humiliation and agony and helplessness he'd felt, especially since he'd never wanted Kairi to see him like this. Sharing these things with her was difficult, and it took him a few attempts to open himself up completely.

But something else happened, too. Such an open display of trust and vulnerability on his part was strengthening the bond between them, just like he knew it would. He could feel it happening, little by little, link by link.

With each memory he shared, he gained the courage to share another one, and then another one. Things he would have been ashamed to show her before he now felt no reason to hide. Not when she was being so patient and kind and compassionate. And so what had once driven them apart was bringing them together.

Something good was coming of this, just like he knew it would. Even when it got to be too much and he transformed into his Heartless form, she didn't bolt or run. She just rested in his arms till he had calmed down enough for them to continue. And the way she looked at him and touched his face, like he wasn't a monster, like he was just himself, helped more than she could ever know.

She saw what was inside his heart, saw it and understood it and helped him endure it. Sometimes that meant they cried over what had happened, and sometimes that meant they raged over it. And sometimes they did both. Then she used the light in her heart to heal it, offering her good memories in place of the bad ones, and the pain gave way to relief and comfort.

When it was finally over, he'd never felt closer to her before. The memories were still there, and with them lingering regret and anger and sorrow, but the feeling that had settled over him was remarkably like peace. Peace and something else, something incredibly tender and affectionate and meant only for her.

"Kairi," he breathed, his tone completely giving him away. He caressed her cheek, and she attempted a weary smile before collapsing into his arms. The effort it had taken to heal him had drained her completely. Sora frowned. He hadn't meant to burden her with what was troubling him so much that she passed out.

Well, they should probably go back to Merlin's house, anyway. It was getting late. He cradled her in his arms and stood, marveling at the incredible thing she'd just done for him even while he worried she'd pushed herself too far.

The walk back was long, but he hardly noticed. She looked so peaceful as she slept, safe and relaxed in his arms.

Before he knew it they were back in her room. Tucking her into bed, he leaned over and gave her a goodnight kiss on the cheek. But when he straightened and went to the door, her voice stopped him.

"I felt that."

Busted. He rubbed the back of his neck. "S-sorry."

The blankets rustled. "Sora, you goofball, are you really apologizing for kissing me?"

"Yes, because—"

"I should be the one apologizing for kissing you."

"Huh?" He turned around and stared at her, and there was something very vulnerable in her eyes as she peeked out at him from under the covers.

Of course. Xehanort had taunted her and told her she wasn't enough to save him after she'd kissed him. Well, he'd been wrong about that, but from the looks of it she still sort of believed him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry I ruined our first kiss. You didn't even get to enjoy it, because… because..."

She was wrong about that, too. He had to reassure her. He had to make this right. He walked over to her bed, and she made room for him to sit.

"It was pretty unexpected," he began. She frowned, and he hurriedly continued. "But that's what made it special. In that moment, I realized you wouldn't give up on me. I knew you would do whatever it took to save me. You put your whole heart into reaching me, and that's why it was the best first kiss I could ever ask for."

He smiled, and she made a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a sob.

"You just stood there like a dead fish," she said. "I had no idea if you were enjoying it or not."

He frowned, dark thoughts swirling inside him again. "That was because of Xehanort. He wouldn't let me kiss you back, even though I wanted to." He paused, working up his courage to say the rest. "And believe me, I really wanted to."

She lifted the covers off her face, and her cheeks were pink. "You did?"

He grinned. "You heard me, didn't you? That noise I made, I really did sound like a dying fish."

She giggled. "Yeah. Your eyes turned blue, too. I thought I had imagined it, after Xehanort... " She trailed off, a frown knitting her eyebrows together.

"You didn't. Xehanort was scared you were about to free me from him, so he lied to you."

"Of course he did. He ruins everything he touches," she muttered. "Everything's just one giant experiment to him."

"Yeah. He treats people like bottles on a shelf. And that's why we have to stop him."

He brushed her hair back and gave her one last kiss on the forehead, but before he could leave, she spoke again.

"Sora, remember what Young Xehanort told me?"

He settled back onto the bed. "He said you were going to lose the one you were trying to protect, right?"

Ominous words, but that was most of what Xehanort said anyway. Sora hadn't been too surprised to read about it in her letter.

"What if he means you?" Kairi asked.

Sora was silent for a long moment. He didn't want to tell her about his concerns, about his thoughts about what the white king's fate might be. But hiding things from her wasn't the way to go. That much he knew.

"He might," he finally said. "I was the white king on that chessboard, after all. If light expires, then…"

"Don't you say it," she commanded, her eyes flashing. "Don't you dare say it."

"I won't."

She took his hand in hers, bringing the faded scars on his wrist to her lips so she could kiss them. There was a soft glow of light, and the scars grew even fainter.

"I won't let anything else happen to you," she said, her voice filled with anguish as she looked up into his eyes. "I'll keep you safe, I promise."

"Kairi—"

She clung to his shirt and refused to let go, even when he tried to leave.

"Stay with me," she pleaded, and Sora knew he couldn't resist any longer. Screw propriety, she wanted his comfort and who was he to deny her? Especially since he wanted to stay with her, too. Besides, he'd promised. Not out loud, of course, but he'd promised to provide her with whatever comfort and care she might need, and he was determined to follow through with that.

"Using my own words against me, huh?" he said, pulling his shoes off. They clattered to the floor and were soon joined by his socks and jacket.

She grinned and winked. "You know it." Lifting the blanket, she scooted over and made room for him.

He turned out the light and climbed into bed beside her. She snuggled into his embrace, and it felt good just to hold her, to breathe in her scent and bury his face in her hair. To know she was safe here in his arms as they drifted off into the realm of dreams.

Whatever tomorrow might bring, tonight, at least, they could be together.

* * *

The sun rose bright and early on Radiant Garden the following morning. Everyone was gathered together above the Great Maw, the chasm where the Battle of a Thousand Heartless had taken place stretching out below them. The preparations and plans had been made for the final fight. All that remained was to go to the Keyblade Graveyard where Master Eraqus and Xehanort were already waiting.

But Sora wanted to talk to everyone else before they left. He searched for Kairi's hand, and she offered it, hoping to infuse some of her encouragement into his grasp.

"Hey guys," he started. "Um, first of all, I wanted to thank you again for coming to save me. And then afterwards… you don't know how much it means to me that you stuck with me." His gaze flickered to Donald and Goofy. They smiled at him and nodded, urging him to continue. "And now we're about to face Xehanort for the final time. Thank you. Thank you for coming with me."

"Of course," Aqua said. "This is our fight, too."

Terra nodded. "Exactly. We couldn't just leave it to you to take care of."

Roxas spoke up. "I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we all have a bone to pick with Xehanort." That got a weak chuckle out of a few people, and he crossed his arms and grinned.

"Yeah," Sora said. "I just wanted to let you guys know… if anything happens—"

"Sora, have some faith in us," Ven said, putting his hand on Sora's shoulder. "We're gonna win."

Ven's proclamation was met with general murmurs of agreement. He smiled, and Sora attempted a smile back.

"And you know why?" Ven continued. "Because we all have each other. Together we're more powerful than Xehanort could ever be."

Sora nodded and turned to address everyone again. "Yeah, I know. And you know what else? What I said the night of the party hasn't changed. Whatever happens, I wanted you to know that."

Kairi's heart thudded in her chest. Just like before, his words were addressed to everyone but meant for her. With a start, she realized she still hadn't told him how she felt. And now wasn't the time. She wanted to kick herself for wasting the opportunity she'd had last night, but the right moment had never come.

The first chance she got, she was fixing that. No, wait. She had to wait for the perfect moment. Sora, romantic sap that he was, deserved no less.

"Gosh, Sora. We feel the same way." Mickey gestured to everyone behind him. "You've done so much to help all these folks who are hurtin'."

"Of course. I couldn't just stand there and watch. I had to help."

"And now there's something we want to do to help you." Riku turned to Kairi and nodded. Now was her opportunity. It was her plan, first hatched after Sora had confided in her about how Xehanort had forced all their hurt on him.

"Sora," she said, "you had to bear all our pain, but you never got to feel our joy." She took his hands in hers. "Well, we can do something about that. Think of this as our thank you gift to you."

He tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean?"

"What else?" she said, smiling. "Connect our hearts to yours. And not just us – all of your friends."

Sora's eyes went wide. "Kairi? What are you saying?"

"I wasn't just strengthening the barriers around the worlds when I was gone, you know," she said, squeezing his hand. "I found your other friends, too."

Realization hit him, and he gave her a look of pure wonder and awe. Then he connected his heart to everyone's, and before long he was crying. Not out of sadness or pain, but out of pure bliss. Before he had been overwhelmed by their hurt, but now he was overwhelmed by their joy.

Their memories of him – how they'd felt when he'd saved them, their favorite things about him, the love they held in their hearts for him – all descended on him at once in an overpowering wave. So many hearts connected together at the same time were amplifying the effect, and it wasn't long before he was left reeling.

He staggered backwards, his hand clutching his heart as his voice trembled. "Stop, it's too much. I can't – I can't hold it all—"

Xion and Ven tackled him with a hug, and the rest of them followed suit. He was soon buried in a pile of hugs and hair ruffles and shoulder pats. Naminé showed him another picture she'd drawn for him, and he smiled and wiped his eyes as he took it from her. It was like the night of the party, except this time there was no sorrow in his tears. Just joy, pure joy, and love for them.

At one point, his eyes met Kairi's, and the gratitude in his, the gratitude mixed with adoration and affection, made her heart melt. She smiled back at him, unable to stop the big, cheesy grin from lighting up her entire face.

Yes, Kairi decided, Xehanort, cruel and cold and calculating though he may be, was missing something very important. And what he was missing was the key to everything. Without it, he didn't stand much of a chance against them. Not at all.

* * *

A/N: I decided to post this chapter early because I will be pretty busy around the time I normally post a new chapter (and AO3 will be down, which is where I crosspost it). Enjoy the early chapter and happy almost weekend, everyone!

Anyway, starting from the next chapter we will be getting into the final battle material. Just a warning that **it will be violent,** the most violent part of this story, in fact. It also deals with some pretty dark material, much like the Soranort arc did. If you'd prefer to skip the violent/dark material, feel free to PM me and I can send you a summary of what happened instead.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last week (and to those who have reviewed at any point, I really appreciate it). Buckle in because we're getting to the final arc of the story, at long last! It's kind of bittersweet, because on the one hand, I want to share the rest of this story with you all, but I also don't want it to end. You've been great and I've really enjoyed interacting with all of you. Take care until next week!


	33. Chapter 33 - The χ-blade

A/N: This chapter features a higher level of violence than normal and describes several physical injuries. It also features dark and potentially distressing material. Read at your own risk.

* * *

Chapter 33 – The χ-blade

The Keyblade Graveyard was largely unchanged from when Eraqus had last been there while he was still inside Terra's heart. The old rusted Keyblades still stuck out of the ground, the dust still got in his eyes and mouth and nose, the foreboding sense of gloom still hung over everything.

The only difference, really, was the presence of the person who stood before him. It went against all natural law, to be so displaced in time.

"Eraqus. So we meet again at long last."

It was Xehanort, but not the Xehanort that matched Eraqus in age and experience. Nor was it the Xehanort from his youth. No, this was Xehanort in his prime, in peak physical condition and fighting form. He was clad in his Keyblade armor with only his helmet removed, and Eraqus pushed down thoughts of how often they used to spar in their armor together.

"You speak as if you don't know exactly where I was all this time," Eraqus said, glaring. "As if you weren't the one who struck me down and forced me to take refuge inside Terra's heart."

No doubt Xehanort's slow takeover of even his previous selves lent them access to his memories. And at what point did his Seekers cease to be themselves and become a new person entirely?

The wind blew up clouds of dirt around them that made Eraqus cover his nose and mouth, but Xehanort just smiled. "You misunderstand me. This is the first time I've spoken face-to-face to you in years."

"And it will be the last," Eraqus said, coughing to clear his throat.

Xehanort raised his eyebrow. "You think you have a chance of winning."

"I know we will."

"Still as idealistic as you were as a boy. We are bound to our fates the same as everyone else, and your fate is to expire along with the light."

Eraqus shook his head. "No. After what you did to Master Junia, after what you did to me and my pupils, I have no choice but to fight fate and to fight you."

"You still haven't figured out the truth, have you?" Xehanort said. "Not even after all this time. I am not the one who drove Master Junia to her untimely demise."

Eraqus lowered his hand to his side. "What?" All this time, he'd thought Xehanort had been the one to do the deed. The darkness, the flecks of gold in her eyes – who else could it have been?

"I had my doubts, my hesitations. I wasn't sure how I felt about my fate, all because of your influence." Xehanort hesitated, his eyes flickering to the ground for a moment before they met Eraqus's once more. "And… I did care for Master Junia. Her death and our ensuing separation brought me great grief."

Eraqus's heart pounded. Could it be true, or was it just more lies?

But then the Xehanort of current times strolled up and put his hand on his younger self's shoulder. "He speaks the truth. I interfered because I had to make sure I stayed on the right path."

Eraqus just stared at them both. Just when he thought Xehanort couldn't sink any lower— only to find out that he was the one who had damned himself, who had cursed his younger self to be like this with no hope of change—

"You— you went back in time just to ruin Master Junia's life? To ruin my life? To ruin your own life? All so you could—"

"I didn't ruin my own life. I created it," his younger self said.

"I was fated to stand here before you for the final clash, and now here I am. I have succeeded, Eraqus."

Eraqus's heart sank. Xehanort had ruined many lives, but his first victim was himself. And while the others had been saved, there was no hope for a victim who could neither recognize his own plight nor even wanted to be rescued.

"You are beyond reason," Eraqus said. "There is no fate except that which you have created."

Xehanort dismissed his younger self, who disappeared into a swirl of darkness, and it was just the two of them. The wind howled through this lonely, empty place, as if the ghosts of Keyblade wielders long gone still haunted the ground where they had been slain.

"Does that bring you grief, my old friend?" Xehanort asked.

Eraqus's fists clenched at his side. "I was never your friend. You used me, time and again. I was just a tool to you, another pawn in your game."

"That is where you are wrong. You're not one of my pawns, you're my opponent. I told you, Eraqus. I won't lose to you again."

"Maybe you won't," Eraqus said. "But you will lose to the people you looked down upon and treated like pawns. You will lose to Sora and his friends."

Xehanort laughed. "You think Sora is heir to the true power of Kingdom Hearts? You have said many foolish things, but that is the most foolish of them all."

"He has accomplished what you have tried to do time and again but could never achieve."

"You mean his power to connect hearts. It is a very useful power, but it is not any different from what I have achieved in creating my vessels. I put my heart in them, and he brings their hearts into his. The end result is the same. The boy and I are not so different, Eraqus."

"Maybe we aren't," came a voice from behind Eraqus, and he turned around. Sora had arrived along with the rest of the Guardians and their friends. He was composed, his steady gaze fixed on Xehanort as if only the two of them were really here, though Eraqus could sense the darkness and turmoil swirling within him.

"But there is one thing that sets us apart," Sora said, his voice unwavering.

"And what would that be?" Xehanort asked. One by one swirls of dark smoke appeared as Xehanort summoned his Seekers to the battlefield.

Sora gestured to the people surrounding him, to his friends at his side. "I offered my heart as a refuge for my friends. They needed someone to mend their hurt, the hurt _you_ caused, so I took all their pain into my heart because I wanted to help them."

He put his hand over his heart, his eyes closing for a moment before he opened them again.

"Together... it wasn't as bad. Together we could bear it. But you just forced your heart inside of your vessels. I guess you think there isn't a difference. You think it doesn't matter, because we're all just going to follow the roles destiny has in store for us anyway."

Xehanort was silent, but Eraqus was impressed all the same by how well Sora understood him.

"But that's where you're wrong," Sora said. "It does matter. Even if we die stopping you, we'll die knowing we did the right thing. We chose to come here and face you. Fate didn't make us do that. And fate didn't make you do all the terrible things you did. You chose to do them, and that's why we're going to stop you."

Sora had grown impassioned by his speech. Wisps of black smoke were coming off of him, and yet he still did not give in to the darkness in his heart. He remained perfectly in control of himself, his eyes boring into Xehanort's as if he could see straight into his soul.

"The darkness is radiating off of you," Ansem remarked. "Why won't you give in to it?"

"Because there's more to a heart than just darkness." Riku gave Ansem a cold, hard glare. "It doesn't matter if the heart begins and ends in darkness. If that's all you think a heart is made of, you really don't know anything."

Ansem laughed at him. "So now the boy wants to speak philosophy with us."

"Xehanort, this is your last chance," Mickey warned. "You don't have to do this." Donald and Goofy backed him up, and the three of them stared Xehanort down.

"Oh, I know. But it's either you or the Princesses of Heart. Take your pick. Either way, I will create the χ-blade."

Terra stepped forward, and Eraqus's heart swelled with pride at his student's initiative. "It doesn't matter what you do to us," Terra said. "We will stop you."

"Terra," Xaldin said, fiddling with one of his lances. "The man who was too weak to break free of Xehanort on his own. Not even with his fallen master's help could he escape."

Eraqus felt like sighing. Had Xehanort's cronies really sunk so low as to stoop to such base insults?

"You should have heard the screams of the one who gave himself up to save you," Luxord continued. "Or felt the anguish of the woman who was trapped in the realm of darkness so that you could stay in the realm of light. It is easy to speak of sacrifice when you are not the one who has paid the price."

Aqua and Ventus both grabbed onto Terra to make sure he didn't attack Xaldin and Luxord, right then and there. But while Eraqus could see the anger in Terra's eyes, Terra remained in control of himself and said nothing. He had grown, matured. In better circumstances, Eraqus would have been tempted to give him the title he so clearly deserved right then and there.

"I see you are not as impulsive as you once were," Xehanort remarked, also noticing the difference. "Perhaps the feckless youth has gained some wisdom after all." He looked to Ventus, and Eraqus put his hand on Ventus's shoulder. No longer would he allow Xehanort to meddle with his student and ruin his life.

"Ventus, my wayward apprentice," Xehanort said. "It has been far too long."

Ventus was fuming. "Shut up. I'm not your apprentice. And you're the worst teacher I ever had." He jerked his head towards Eraqus. "Master Eraqus is my real teacher. You're nothing but a sham."

Xehanort seemed merely amused by this outburst. But then he looked to Aqua, and a frown crossed his features. "You are still as misguided as ever, _Master_ Aqua. Will you throw yourself away for your friends again, or did you finally learn your lesson?"

"You're the one who's misguided, Xehanort," she retorted. "You're going to lose. We failed to stop you before, but we won't let you win again."

"What makes you think you can stop me?"

"Because we've got Sora," she said, gesturing towards him. Sora's eyes went wide, and then his expression softened as she continued. "And not just him. Riku and Kairi, and all the other people you've screwed over in your obsession to take Kingdom Hearts for yourself."

"Such passionate words." Vexen summoned his shield and held it in front of him.

Young Xehanort had his Keyblade at the ready. "My older self was unwise to underestimate you," he said, and Xehanort Prime and Xemnas nodded their agreement.

"Well, Sora?" Roxas said, coming up beside him. "Are we gonna fight them or what?"

"All you have to do is say the word." Xion was on his other side, her Keyblade in hand and ready to fight. Naminé was beside her, similarly armed, and when Sora looked her way, she nodded.

Everyone was waiting for Sora to make a decision. Eraqus couldn't help but smile to himself. How could Xehanort fail to see what was staring him in the face?

But Sora said nothing. He looked at Kairi as she steeled herself for the fight, next to Riku and ready to charge. And the look he gave her— well, Eraqus had lived long enough to recognize that look. Of all of Sora's friends, she was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. No doubt Xehanort would try to exploit his feelings for her again.

"Well, Sora?" Xehanort asked. "Thinking about making another deal?"

"No," he finally said, his voice sounding out loud and clear. "This time, we're here to fight you. That's the only way we can put an end to this."

Sora closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and Eraqus felt the warmth of a multitude of hearts connect to his, Sora's at the center of it all. It pulsed with light, its strength amplified by every heart beating in unison with it. Energy surged through Eraqus, renewing his strength and filling his heart and mind.

Sora's eyes flew open, and that was everyone's cue. Eraqus summoned his Keyblade, and great clouds of dust kicked up as both sides charged at each other.

The Second Keyblade War had begun.

* * *

Sora had never tried to stay connected to this many people at once for so long before. Their thoughts and feelings poured into his head and filled his heart till it was all he could do to keep the chaos going on around him straight.

But that was okay. It wasn't his job to fight. Not this time. It was his job to connect, to support, to heal, to protect. To strengthen and encourage. And so long as Aqua's barrier remained around him, the one she'd created from a Phoenix Down, the one that made him pretty much invulnerable, he was safe.

He raced to the highest point he could find, a tall cliff, and sprung up it. Clumps of dirt tumbled to the ground below him, and he scrambled to his feet. Surveying the field, he saw Roxas making sure Naminé was safe. Roxas earned an understanding nod from her before taking off and running towards an outcrop of rocks to the left. Sora took a deep breath and focused completely on him, and it was like he could see through his eyes, hear what he heard, felt what he felt.

"Axel!" Roxas called, racing towards his friend, heart pounding in his chest and pounding in Sora's chest. He summoned a swarm of Nobodies to guard him so no one could get through.

But someone did, someone on their side and very determined to help. Of course. Xion. Sora focused on her too, focused on giving her the boost of strength she needed to fight. There. It was like he was getting sensory feeds from two different people now.

He gagged as his body adjusted to the sensory overload, bile surging up his throat until he forced it back down. His own eyes and ears and hands and mouth seemed disjointed, far away. Roxas and Xion's were the real ones. His body was just a dream, an illusion.

"Roxas, you aren't fighting him alone! I'm here!" Xion was right behind him, and together they charged.

"Axel, we're here to help!" she called.

"C'mon, you have to snap out of it!"

Lea regarded them with an expressionless look. His eyes were still yellow. Sora knew from their earlier conversation that he was still in there. The question was how to reach him.

 _Roxas, Xion, you have to appeal to his heart!_ he said. _Remind him of what he means to you!_

 _When Xehanort made you hurt Kairi, you broke free, right?_ came Xion's thoughts. _It hurt too much and you fought back. What if we did the same thing?_

 _Yeah. If that's what it takes to help Axel, then I'm ready,_ Roxas added.

Panic rose in Sora's chest and rose in their chests. _No, no, don't do that!_

"I can hear you," Lea got out, his voice strained. Roxas and Xion exchanged hopeful glances as he continued. "This isn't like what happened with you, Sora. That was a full possession, this is—" He clutched his head and swore. "—more hit and miss."

"Axel…" Xion started, reaching a hand towards him.

 _Careful, Xion,_ Sora warned. _Don't let your guard down. That's how Riku and Kairi got hurt._

Lea moved away from her. "Unfortunately, I do have someone else's will stuffed inside of me, so it makes it a bit hard to—" at this his Keyblade appeared in his hand, "stay in control."

"Axel, we don't want to fight you," Xion said. "But we will if we have to."

"Yeah, you're gonna have to. Sorry, guys. I thought about running away, but—" more swearing, "—he won't let me."

"We understand." Xion transformed into her armored form, the harsh sun reflecting off its glinting surface. Pain stabbed through Sora's chest and he staggered to his knees. The rocks on the cliff cut into his skin even through his pants. It took him a moment to collect his thoughts enough to concentrate and stand again. Seeing her like that still brought Roxas really painful memories and sent him into panic mode.

 _Roxas… use your Keyblade,_ Sora barely managed. _The Nobodies… they're starting to drain me, too, and… your heart, I know it hurts, but you have to—_

 _Right, sorry,_ came Roxas's thoughts. Sora just gritted his teeth and focused on healing as much of the hurt as he could.

 _Thanks,_ Roxas said. For most of his fights lately, Roxas had been using his Nobodies. But this one needed the Keyblade. He summoned it now and moved into his attack stance.

"Xion, together! Axel, we're gonna save you! Hang in there!"

Lea smiled. "I know you will."

Roxas was about to charge when someone blocked him.

"Saïx?"

The man's golden eyes were blazing with fury. Roxas struggled to parry the blow from his Claymore.

 _He really hates me,_ Roxas said sadly, his arms shaking and Sora's shaking too as he lent Roxas as much of his strength as he could spare. _He thinks I stole Axel from him. I guess, in a way, I did._

 _You didn't,_ Sora said, trying to reassure him. _He drove Axel away himself._

"Don't you touch him!" Isa hissed. "You have hearts and bodies of your own now, but that doesn't make you human!"

He pushed Roxas back so that he had to flip backwards to keep his balance, and Sora felt dizzy, too. He nearly stumbled off the cliff before gaining his bearings again.

"Especially not when you attack your so-called friend," Isa continued. "You're just as heartless as you were when you were a puppet and a Nobody!"

"Saïx, stop," Xion's voice echoed, the armor twisting and warping it. "We're only trying to help!"

She used one of the giant Keyblade-shaped swords in her hand to land a heavy blow, then turned her attention back to Lea. Sora's arm fell limply at his side. This was exhausting. He called on the strength of the others, because he couldn't keep this up much longer without their help.

"Take a good look around you," Roxas said, spitting dust out of his mouth and standing up. Sora reflexively spit, too - no actual grains of dirt, of course, but it still felt like there were.

"Axel stayed with you when he could've just run away," Roxas continued. "If you think he doesn't care about you, you're wrong."

"He chose _you_ over a real friendship with me. We were friends when we still had hearts. But you, you were just an empty shell, and that—" he said, gesturing to Xion, "was a puppet. If he really cared, he wouldn't have chosen you and that thing over there over me."

Roxas was boiling inside, and white-hot rage and fury spilled into Sora. The darkness inside him spiked to dangerous levels. Smoke swirled off his skin, and he felt the telltale signs of an impending transformation.

 _Roxas—_ he tried to warn, but Roxas was beyond reason.

"Shut up!" Roxas shouted. "Xion is _not_ a thing! She's a girl, and she deserves to exist as much as you do! She deserves to have friends just as much as you do! She's got memories and feelings and a heart!"

He rained down a hail of electricity that left Sora exhausted, then darted in close for a heavy blow.

 _Has Saïx learned nothing?_ Roxas wondered. _Axel wants to save him, but maybe it's impossible._

 _Roxas, we can't think like that,_ Xion said. But before she could do anything else, flames licked their way around the area, eating at dust and finding nothing to burn.

"Isa," came Lea's voice, loud and clear. The flames died down, and they were all left staring at each other and at Lea's fury-filled face. "You're my friend. But don't you dare call Xion that ever again."

His eyes were flashing green.

"I'm going to save all of us, got it memorized? You're my friends, and I won't lose any of you." He looked in Sora's direction, though they were in reality a good ways away from each other. "Sora, Naminé needs backup. I can handle this."

Sora didn't have to be told twice. Naminé was in trouble. After reassuring Roxas he'd make sure she was okay, he turned his attention to where she'd stumbled over a rocky outcrop in the center of the battlefield.

Her Keyblade was in her hand as she tried to block her attacker, but he was a lot stronger than her. Sora focused on her and took a deep breath. There. He was seeing through her eyes now. The strength of his arm went into hers, and she managed to push him away.

"Riku?" she asked, wiping dust from her face.

 _Not that Riku,_ Sora said.

 _Right. Not the original Riku._

"You," the Riku Replica said, tilting his head and glaring at her.

"I'm sorry, Riku," she said. "I'm sorry I—"

He rained darkness down on her, and she tried to cartwheel out of the way. But one of his orbs caught her in the leg, and she cried out and stumbled to the ground. A sharp rock scraped her shin, and Sora likewise cried out and clutched his leg. It didn't matter if his skin wasn't really cut – it might as well have been.

This whole heart connecting thing was overrated. It took a whole lot of effort to keep the connection going and bear Naminé's pain. Thankfully, she was quick to heal herself, and Sora's leg felt better again.

"I never forgot my promise to you," the Riku Replica said, "and you abandoned me. You gave me all these fake memories, and I stayed loyal to you till the end! And how did you repay me?"

"Please, just listen to me!" she cried, staggering to her feet.

"You're a bigger fake than I ever was," the Riku Replica accused. "You didn't care about me. You only cared about _him_ ," he said, jabbing a finger in Sora's direction.

"That's not true! I'm sorry for what I did! I really did care about you!"

But he couldn't be reasoned with. Maybe he would listen to her if he was himself. But Xehanort had hijacked his heart and body and taken the worst of his impulses, fears, and regrets and cranked them up to eleven.

She gritted her teeth. _Fighting while using my powers isn't going to be easy._

 _You can do it,_ Sora said. _I'm here and I can help._

Her powers came from some combination of him and Kairi, after all.

 _I'll boost your powers as much as I can,_ he told her. _You just focus on him._

She nodded. "Riku, remember. Please."

And with that, she began. Sora saw through her eyes, saw the chains linking everyone's hearts together. He lent her as much of his connecting power as he could, and it surged through her. She turned her attention to the Riku Replica's memories and focused on freeing him from Xehanort.

Oh, and fighting him. Because while he was slowing down, she had to run around this way and that to avoid his charges and diving attacks.

Sora helped how he could, and her memory manipulation plunged deep. At last the Riku Replica staggered to the ground. Confident that she had everything under control, Sora turned his attention to where Ven and Vanitas were fighting on the other side of the battlefield. At some point in the battle Ven must have knocked Vanitas's helmet off. His face was fully visible, his golden eyes flashing as he attacked Ven.

"Vanitas, please! You have to talk to me!"

Ven rolled out of the way of the flurry of Keyblades Vanitas had directed right at him. They clattered to the ground with an awful clanging noise, and one of them struck Ven's arm. He winced, and Sora grabbed his arm and winced, too.

"There's nothing to say, _Ventus._ Soon we'll both be stuck as parts of the χ-blade, and there's nothing we can do about it."

A shockwave went through the earth beneath Ven, and Sora gave him his remaining energy so he could dart out of the way just as mounds of earth went hurtling into the air.

Sora collapsed to the ground. The barrier protected him, but…

 _I'm slowing down. I'm getting too sluggish. I have to—_

 _Sora, are you okay?_ came Ven's worried voice.

 _I'm fine!_ Sora staggered to his feet. _Focus on Vanitas!_

"Even if Xehanort creates the χ-blade, my friends won't let him win!" Ven cried as he scrambled to his feet, kicking up clouds of dust in the process. He kicked the old Keyblades aside and tried to get closer to Vanitas.

Vanitas just shook his head. "You really think they can stop him? You're as naïve as ever. He's about to gain cosmic powers, idiot. What can your friends do against that?"

He tried a diving attack, but Ven countered him and jumped back, sweat stinging his eyes. "They want to help you! Kairi knows there's good in you, and Sora even told me you refused to hurt him."

Sora nodded out of instinct, even though he was pretty far away. Vanitas just rolled his eyes.

"Kairi this, Sora that. Tell me, Ventus, what do you think? You and I are the same, after all."

Ven shook his head. "No, we're not. We used to be, but you deserve to be your own person as much as I do! You have memories that I don't. You have experiences and hopes and dreams that I don't. And that's proof enough that you have a heart of your own now!"

Vanitas stopped and stared at him. "Tch, that's the first time you've said anything like that. Since when have you seen me as anything other than something that has to be destroyed?"

Ven smiled. "I guess Sora's started to rub off on me. If he can find a way for Roxas and Xion to exist alongside him, then surely we can both exist too."

 _I… inspired you?_ Sora asked. _But… you were the one who always inspired me. I am who I am because of you._

 _I think you've got that backwards,_ came Ven's voice, and Sora could have sworn he sounded proud. _I am who_ I _am because of you._

To prove it, Ven offered his hand to Vanitas.

"Vanitas, all this time you wanted to join with me. But did you ever think that maybe what you really wanted was someone who cared? Someone who wanted to be your—"

Vanitas sneered. "Don't you dare say the 'f' word."

"Oh, fine," Ven muttered. "But you need one all the same."

 _Isn't that the truth,_ Sora thought. Kairi showing him even a little bit of compassion had led to him latching onto her like a drowning puppy.

"You're offering to be my friend?" Vanitas cackled and gestured to the ruined landscape around them, to its rusted Keyblades and dusty earth and rocky crags. "Take a good, hard look around you, Ventus. We're in the middle of a war."

"That doesn't matter! It isn't too late. Vanitas, _please!_ "

"It is too late! It's been too late for a long time."

"No, it isn't! Now stop before we're both destroyed!" Ven pleaded, desperate to get through to him. His eyes stung, either from all the dust in the air or from the urge to cry. "I don't – I don't want you to die."

Vanitas's eyes went wide. "What?"

"I said, I don't want you to die. You have to live. Siding with Xehanort won't help you. It's just gonna get you killed."

Vanitas laughed again, but it was without any sort of joy. "You know what? I don't want me to die, either."

"Then join with me."

Ven offered his hand again, and Vanitas hesitated.

 _C'mon, Vanitas!_ But then a noise from behind Sora startled and distracted him. Whirling around, he saw that Xehanort was staring at him and _smiling._ Not attacking, just smiling as he watched the chaos unfold.

Sora tensed. Ugh. Xehanort was going to try something, no doubt about it, and Sora had to make sure that didn't happen. He just couldn't directly attack him. He hadn't forgotten Axel's warning to avoid engaging all the Seekers at the same time.

 _Sora, be careful!_ came Master Eraqus's voice. _Don't listen to a single thing he has to say, and stay on your guard._

 _Trust me, I know not to listen to him,_ Sora said.

"I see your power continues to grow," Xehanort said, breaking through his thoughts. "It's like I told Eraqus. You and I are not so different." He crossed his arms behind his back and slowly circled around Sora. "But I'd say my way is more efficient. I still control my Seekers, but I don't feel what they're feeling. They feel what I feel instead. You're at a great disadvantage, you know, putting your heart and body on the line for them."

He swung his Keyblade at Sora, but it simply reflected off of Aqua's barrier. On instinct Sora's Keyblade appeared in his hand, but he stopped himself from using it.

"Is that a barrier created from a Phoenix Down?" Xehanort asked, touching it. His finger bounced back. "It is indeed. Oh, you're untouchable now. Between this and that barrier Kairi put around your heart, there's no way for me to get to you."

"Yeah, I know," Sora said. Wisps of black smoke were coming off his arms now, making him forget all about how tired he was.

 _Kill. Destroy._ The yellow-eyed creature inside him was more demanding and bloodthirsty than ever.

 _No. That's what he wants. He wants me to lose control of myself and transform. I'm better than that. I won't give into the darkness. I'm in charge. I won't let it control me._

Sora didn't move. It was taking all his focus to keep himself from transforming. His friends needed him to be Sora right now, not Anti-Form Sora, so he had to stay in control.

"I suppose it's only fitting, after all you went through to save them, that they would protect you for once," Xehanort said. "However, it means I can't clash with you, and that's a problem. Until I join the battle, we will be short of the required materials for the χ-Blade."

 _Good,_ Sora thought. _So long as we keep it that way—_

"We do have extras on your side that we don't need," Xehanort said, gesturing at the battle unfolding below them. "And I may not be able to get to you, Sora, but I can still get to _her_."

Xehanort smiled, and Sora's stomach dropped. Xemnas, Ansem, Xigbar, Luxord, and No Heart disappeared in swirls of black smoke from their locations on the battlefield below them. He knew where they would reappear right before it happened.

Young Xehanort had been careful to isolate Kairi. She was in a different area where none of the rest of them were fighting. He'd used some of his time magic, too, catching her in some weird time loop.

There wasn't time. The others wouldn't react in time. They weren't feeling what she was feeling. They couldn't see what she saw.

But Sora could.

He tasted her fear, he felt the violent pounding of her heart, he sensed her brief moment of resignation as she realized what was about to happen.

The barrier protecting him now was created from a Phoenix Down. He could protect her. He would protect her. He drew it off himself and cast it towards her. With all his heart he willed her to be safe as it went hurtling towards her.

A red glow enveloped her and a great barrier of light blasted her attackers backwards. Sora sighed in relief. She was safe. Switching the barrier like that had probably destroyed it after its brief moment of protection, but she'd be okay. Aqua and Riku were with her now.

"Thank you for that, Sora," Xehanort said, breaking his focus. "You're right where I need you to be."

Oh. He didn't have the barrier anymore. He was teetering on the edge of the cliff and Xehanort's Keyblade was right there and he shouldn't fight back, that was a recipe for disaster.

That was okay though. So long as his friends won, whatever happened to him wouldn't be so—

"Don't you touch him!" Kairi screamed, leaping in front of him and holding out her Keyblade. It collided with Xehanort's with a loud clang, sending shockwaves in every direction as light shimmered in the air.

"Kairi, how—" How had she gotten up here so quickly? Then he remembered. She'd mentioned in her letters that Aqua had taught her how to teleport.

Everyone just stared up at them, aghast. It was like this moment had been frozen in time, and Sora could see everything from everyone's viewpoints all at once.

Including Xehanort's look of absolute triumph. He grinned wickedly at Kairi.

"You foolish girl, in saving him you have damned them all."

Before this moment, only twelve of the Seekers of Darkness had been engaged in combat with the Guardians of Light. Now all thirteen were. Sora clutched his chest, his heart sensing what was about to happen. Magic older than the worlds had taken over, and nothing could stop it.

Some unseen force lifted him and Kairi into the air like they weighed nothing and sent them flying off the cliff. He cared nothing for straightening himself or balancing or having a safe landing. He just wrapped his body around hers to cushion her fall.

She managed enough wind magic to soften the blow. But there was still a loud cracking in his leg when they landed and it _hurt_ and he couldn't— he couldn't move his leg, it hurt too much. He couldn't move much of anything, pinned down as he was.

But Kairi was here and that was all that mattered. She was in his arms where she belonged and he clung to her like his life depended on it.

"Sora, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—" she sobbed, her hot tears falling onto his cheeks and washing the dust away.

He just held her tight. Words weren't good enough at this point.

He couldn't stop what was happening, but he wanted to anyway. A huge whirlwind had kicked up with Xehanort at the center, and awful magic that made Sora sick with dread targeted her. Ribbons of light shot out from the whirlwind and wrapped around her legs, trying to tear her away from him. She was slipping from his grasp till all he could hold onto was her hands. The χ-blade, no, Xehanort, wanted her and he would have her.

Sora's grip was strong, but her hands were small and delicate compared to his. She wasn't wearing gloves, either. It was weird how he noticed little things like that at a time like this.

"Kairi…" Everything, all wrapped into one word. _I'm sorry. I love you. I'll make this right, I promise._

Her face scrunched up, her lip trembling as she looked into his eyes. "Sora, I—"

Then she was torn away from him. His arms hurt, like someone had tried to wrench them out of their sockets. He saw what happened next through both her eyes and his own. He watched the weapon suck her into the whirlwind and felt her heart and body ripped away and thrown into some unknown realm.

It was dark and cold, and vines covered in sharp thorns wrapped their way around her arms and legs. Something pierced her chest and his chest ached, too. He felt her loss as his loss, and his own shock and grief piled on top of it and buried him in its horrific waves. He stared at his empty arms where she had been just moments before. The barrier protecting his heart shattered and that was when he knew.

She was the very first piece of the χ-blade.

A scream escaped his throat, a horrible, terrible scream that clawed its way out from deep inside of him.

All around him the same thing was happening to his other friends. His heart was connected to theirs and he could feel what they felt. He saw it happening but was powerless to stop it. It was like Xehanort's torture all over again, watching as they said goodbye and made peace with their fates while he couldn't do a single thing about it.

 _Why them? Why not me?_

He sensed the χ-blade tugging at Ven, sucking him towards where it was forming in Xehanort's hand, and Vanitas gave Ven a rueful smile. "See, what'd I tell you? We're all still doomed anyway. But thanks, I guess. Thanks for never giving up on me."

As Ven faced the inevitable, he returned the smile. At this point he didn't even care that dust was getting in his mouth and eyes.

But Sora did. Sora didn't want him to accept such an awful fate so calmly. Not after he'd shattered his own heart to stop Xehanort before. But when Sora tried to stand and go to him, his injured leg screamed in protest. He collapsed back onto the ground, tears springing to his eyes.

Magic. He had to use magic. But it hurt too much, it hurt too much and he couldn't move and his magic was—

"You know, it's funny," Ven said, as tendrils of light shot out of the whirlwind and wrapped around his arms and legs, squeezing them tight. "I know this is the end of everything, but all I can think about is how this isn't all that different from last time."

"Nah," Vanitas said as the darkness wound its way around him. "Last time we hated each other's guts."

"So you don't hate me, huh?"

Vanitas made a clicking noise. "How could I hate my better half?"

He took Ven's hand at long last, and Ven didn't say anything, just held tight as they were both pulled into the χ-blade before disappearing in a flash of light and darkness. This time as one, truly united. They were cast into that same realm as Kairi, and there was an awful pain in their chests as they were pinned to the ground with Keyblades.

The last thought Sora sensed from Ven before he was gone was that right now he and Vanitas would have made a pretty decent fake χ-blade.

Kairi and Ven and Vanitas. The lost connections felt like they'd been torn out of his heart. Who was left? Sora searched his heart for someone, anyone. There. He was looking through Riku's eyes now. At least he was still—

"Mickey!"

Riku held tight to Mickey's hand, digging his feet into the ground so he could keep himself rooted to it and his friend from flying away. But the whirlwind Xehanort had created was pulling Mickey away from him, the light wrapped around his feet yanking him towards where the χ-blade was forming.

"Riku, let go, or else you'll get sucked in too!" Mickey cried.

Riku just gave him a sad look. "Then we'll go together. Whoever's left, I trust them to defeat Xehanort."

 _Hear that, Sora?_ came Riku's voice. _This is in your hands now. Don't you dare give up. We're all counting on you._

Mickey nodded, a sad smile on his face. "Yeah." He looked to Donald and Goofy one last time. "Donald, Goofy, it's up to you now."

The last thing Sora heard through Riku's ears was a chorus of heartbroken "Your Majesties!" as he and Mickey were pulled into the χ-blade and trapped inside. A terrible pain pierced their backs, and then two more connections were ripped out of Sora's heart.

 _Riku, Your Majesty—_

Sora dug his fingers into the dirt. He hardly noticed how badly it hurt when dust forced its way underneath his fingernails. The pain in his heart overshadowed any physical discomfort he was feeling.

 _Why didn't I do that when Kairi was taken from me? Why didn't the X-blade take me with her?_

Sora searched again, fearing the worst. Doing anything else just hurt too much, and he couldn't bring himself to break the connection. Not when this might be his last chance to—

There. Naminé was still left. The Riku Replica shielded her from the wind and the dust kicking up around them. It lifted them into the air, and she clung tightly to him as light wrapped around her and darkness around him.

"Where's Roxas? Riku, what's going to happen to us?" came her voice over the wind.

As Sora looked into Naminé's terrified eyes through the Replica, it struck him that this was the first time she had ever asked that question. Usually she was the one telling everyone else what was going to happen, or what had happened and why.

She knew what was going to happen as well as everyone else. But in that moment, she was just as frightened as the rest of them. Not even her powers could keep her from being scared.

The Riku Replica pulled her close. "We're going to stick together, that's what. No matter what happens, Naminé, I'm always with you."

He felt he owed her that much, at least, after she'd tried so hard to restore his memories, to free him from Xehanort. But soon he could no longer feel her warmth in his arms. It was cold, cold and dark. He felt like he was stuck in the realm of darkness all over again, and Sora felt cold and dark, too. It just hurt too much and everything was swimming around him and—

Lea was still left by some miracle.

"Roxas, Xion!" He whipped his head from the cloud of dust enveloping everything and everyone and back to his friends. Their horrified expressions confirmed what he already knew.

 _Isa and I are_ _doomed, Sora. But_ _I can still save Roxas and Xion._

 _Please,_ Sora begged. They, at least, could be spared.

"Take care of each other." Lea gave the two of them one last smile before casting a flaming barrier around them, summoning a Corridor of Darkness, and shoving them through it.

Sora saw their faces through Lea's eyes right before the Corridor closed, screaming and crying and begging him not to send them away. Roxas even called for Naminé. But Lea refused to let them become a part of Xehanort's weapon. The man had ruined their lives enough as it was. This would be his parting gift to them and to Sora.

He turned to Isa and grabbed his hand as the darkness wrapped its inky black tendrils around them.

"Together."

Isa nodded.

 _It's nice, seeing his real eyes one last time,_ Lea mused even while Sora's heart recoiled at what was about to happen.

"You know," Lea said to Isa, "green suits you a lot better than gold."

Isa smiled, and then they were gone. The pain was worse than Sora had expected. He was unable to speak or even move. All that came out of his throat was an awful strangled noise.

This wasn't the first time in his life he'd wanted to die, but this was worse than the torment Xehanort had put him through before. Why—

Wait. Someone had broken through the clouds of dust. Someone was here with him, someone wearing Keyblade armor.

Sora recognized that armor. He'd fought that armor before.

"Terra?" he asked, woozy with pain and shock. Terra was going in and out of focus, like someone had stuck a blurry camera in front of Sora's face and told him to look through it.

Terra gathered him in his arms and stood. "You saved me, Sora. Now it's time I returned the favor."

Terra moved fast for someone so big. Sora's leg throbbed and his heart throbbed and his head throbbed, but at least he wasn't alone. At least Terra was still here. At one point he stumbled and his headpiece got knocked off, but he just kept going till at last they'd reached their destination.

"Aqua!" Terra called. She emerged from the clouds of dust, a look of pure relief on her face at the sight of them. It didn't take long for Sora to figure out why Terra had brought him to her. She made quick work of Sora's injuries, fixing the funny angle his leg was at and soothing the pain everywhere and restoring his body if not his heart.

He cleared his throat and tried to speak. "Aqua—"

They looked from him to each other, and Terra smiled sadly.

Sora's heart froze. _No, don't you dare, don't you_ —

Aqua leaned forward and kissed Sora's forehead. "It's up to you now, Sora."

Terra brushed a strand of hair out of Sora's face. "Succeed where we never could." Slowly, gently, he set Sora down on the ground, then turned back to Aqua as she cast a barrier around Sora that kept him from stopping them.

Sora tried to destroy it all the same, his fists slamming into it over and over again until the skin on his knuckles had been rubbed raw.

As the magic swept them up and towards the χ-blade, Terra took her in his arms. They looked into each other's eyes, then spent their last moment together stealing back one last kiss.

Xehanort could allow for this small happiness, at least.

When they were torn from Sora's heart and trapped in a flood that submerged them in its icy waves, he couldn't even manage to cry out. Aqua's magic hadn't fixed his heart after all, just his body.

He needed Kairi for that. Kairi. All of the losses cut him to the quick, but hers hurt the worst of all. He'd failed her again. He couldn't protect her. He couldn't keep her safe. He couldn't keep any of them safe. They had all protected him instead, and for what? This?

He looked around him. The dust had finally settled.

In Xehanort's hands was an enormous Keyblade. It looked like someone had combined Sora's Keyblade with the King's, and its sharp blade could probably pierce anything. Light reflected off its shiny surface as Xehanort admired it. Sora had never seen him look so awestruck before, but for Sora it was a thing of horror.

The King. Terra, Aqua, Ven, Riku, Kairi, and Naminé. Lea. They were all gone. They were all in that awful weapon Xehanort held. He had no idea where Master Eraqus or Donald or Goofy were. Only Xion and Roxas had been spared, as far as he knew. Even the Seekers were all gone.

 _This is my fault. If I hadn't let my guard down, Kairi wouldn't have jumped in front of me to protect me. It's because of me that my friends are—_

The wounds from Xehanort, which before this awful fight had finally begun to heal, had been ripped open again. And this new pain pierced him deeper still and broke his heart into a million pieces. He was hemorrhaging all over the place, his heart spilling out on the ground for everyone to see.

And he thought it had hurt before. He would take what Xehanort had done to him over knowing what had just happened to his friends.

He wasn't alone though. Donald and Goofy raced to his side now that the dust had cleared and Aqua's barrier was gone along with her. Master Eraqus clutched his Keyblade, fury written all over his face as he faced down Xehanort.

"You fool!" he shouted. "You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Xehanort strode over to him. "I think I do, Eraqus." He pointed the χ-blade right at his heart, painfully sharp-looking blade and all, but Eraqus didn't even flinch.

"You'll never win," he spat. "There are things you don't know, things you could never imagine. There is a magic greater than yours, and that magic will put an end to you and to your plans."

Xehanort hesitated a moment, as if considering his words. But then he said, "Goodbye, my old friend." And with that a portal of darkness opened up in the ground and dragged Master Eraqus down into it.

"We won't be needing you anymore either," Xehanort said, turning his attention to Sora.

But Donald and Goofy stood in his way.

"You're gonna hafta go through us to get to him," Goofy said, holding his shield up.

Donald cast all kinds of protective magic over Sora. "Yeah! Don't even think about laying a finger on him, you big palooka!"

Sora's throat closed up. Touched as he was by their protection, he knew it was pointless. "Please, don't—"

Without a word, Xehanort pointed the χ-blade at them both and cast them deep into the darkness.

Sora didn't say anything as Xehanort turned on him. There was nothing left to say.

"In your current state, you won't be able to fight me," Xehanort said. "It's impressive you're even conscious, considering all the pain you're carrying in your heart. Still, I can't have you interfering with what I'm about to do. Be cast into the abyss. See for yourself the true nature of reality."

And with that, Sora was sent hurtling into the darkness. The last thing he saw and heard was Xehanort holding the χ-blade aloft and saying, "χ-blade, break down the barriers created by the light. Bring the worlds together into One World, just as in the days of old. Bring me Kingdom Hearts."

* * *

A/N: Next week's chapter will have content warnings. Feel free to read them or skip them as you see fit, because they will have spoilers.


	34. Chapter 34 - The Door

Chapter 34 – The Door

A/N: This chapter is the most violent one in the entire story, and content warnings containing major spoilers are included at the end of the chapter. Please read them if you would like an idea of what to expect or if you need a heads up for distressing content.

* * *

The earth shook as some force deep within it drug Sora deeper and deeper. There was nothing but darkness beneath him now, and still he descended. Down into the depths of the abyss, into the deepest darkness.

He vaguely noted that something was happening to the worlds. The barriers around them were shattering in brilliant bursts of light. They joined together in collisions both destructive and creative, forming one giant World, just as Xehanort had commanded.

 _Was this what it used to be like, before the Keyblade War?_

 _But then… where is everybody? Where are my friends?_

It was pitch black and he was completely alone. The inhabitants of the other worlds – where were they? What had happened to them?

His friends were gone, too. They'd fought so bravely. They'd sacrificed everything. But it hadn't been enough. They had either been wrenched away to create the terrible weapon now in Xehanort's hands or cast aside like trash.

Xehanort's Seekers were all gone too, their existences also stolen from them to form the χ-blade. Xehanort had been smiling as he'd summoned Kingdom Hearts. _Smiling._ How could he, at a time like this?

The rebirth… no, more like the death… of the worlds. The aftermath of a vicious battle that had claimed Sora's friends and Xehanort's pawns, the ones he had so easily thrown away. Pawns that were people, people with hopes and fears and dreams, snuffed out like their lives meant nothing.

Xehanort wielded the ultimate weapon now. Defeat was inevitable. Sora fell ever deeper into the darkness until at last he reached the bottom of the pit, broken and defeated and without any hope. He couldn't even muster the energy to sit up. The darkness clawed at his back, trying to swallow him whole, trying to make him become one with it.

Maybe it was better if he just let it. Everything just hurt too much and he couldn't take it anymore. He pictured his heart now, littered with holes and bleeding out from all the places his friends had been torn away from him.

That was what it felt like, anyway.

 _My friends._ Tears filled his eyes all over again as he thought about what had happened to them, and his broken, empty sobs echoed throughout the endless pit. His own voice mocked him, a cruel reminder that he was alone. Alone because his friends had been taken from him, stolen by the man who didn't care about a single one of their precious lives.

"Light has expired," that very man called out, his voice somehow reaching even to this place. "Darkness has prevailed. Everything written in the prophecy has come to pass. With this χ-blade I will summon Kingdom Hearts at last."

The realm above opened up, the only light left as everything else was covered in a blanket of darkness. It was almost blinding in its brilliance. How Sora could see it from here, he had no idea. At last Kingdom Hearts was appearing, its massive form looming far above him. A giant white door that looked a lot like its smaller cousin when Sora had fought Ansem, no, Xehanort's Heartless, began to form.

He stopped crying. Even though his heart was still hurting, a strange feeling had filled him at the sight of the door. Something like wonder and fear and longing all mixed into one.

This was the source of all hearts, after all, and he couldn't help but be drawn to it.

Something tugged at his heart, called out to him and drew him in. Slowly, tentatively, he answered its call. His heart connected to the giant heart above him and he felt rather than saw the countless smaller hearts that made it up. Hearts filled with love and fear and anger and happiness and joy and sorrow. Hearts filled with life.

He kept the connection weak, afraid of what might happen if the swarm of hearts overwhelmed his own.

 _Chosen wielder of the Keyblade, you must stop Xehanort._

 _What can I do?_ Sora asked the mysterious voice that spoke not to his ears but to his heart. It was warm and familiar, though he couldn't figure out why. _I'm just one person, and he has the_ _χ_ _-blade._

 _You are the one who will open the door._

It was the exact same phrase that had haunted him ever since his first awakening. That seemed like a long time ago now. Had destiny led him to this moment all along? Had his entire life led up to this?

 _Yes, Sora. You must open the door. Leave nothing to fate, though fate has brought you here. You are not the only one who can stand up to Xehanort, and yet in this moment you are._

 _But… why me?_

 _Look at your Keyblade._

Sora wiped his eyes and sat up. When he held his hand out, the Kingdom Key appeared in it, just like it always did.

 _Now tell me what the_ _χ_ _-blade looks like._

Sora had noticed already, but he told the voice what he knew all the same. _My Keyblade is a reflection of it. Well, part of it, anyway._

 _Yes. In legend and in fairytale, the_ _χ_ _-blade was sometimes called the Keys of the Kingdom. The Keyblade wielders of old knew its true power._

 _It unlocks Kingdom Hearts, right?_

 _Yes. You have everything you need, Sora. The rest is in your hands._

Sora stared up at the door. As he did, he had the overpowering urge to protect all the hearts inside, to guard the light, to save his friends. The voice was right. He had to open the door somehow. He had to get the χ-blade away from Xehanort. He had to climb out of this pit.

He used the last of his magic to heal himself and struggled to his feet. Bolstered by thoughts of his friends, he tried to think of some way, any way, to get back up to where Xehanort was.

As if on cue, a familiar squeaking caught his attention.

"Meow Wow? Is that really you?"

It sure was. His pet bounded up to him from the shadows and licked his face with his wet pink tongue. And not just Meow Wow. A whole host of his Dream Eater friends had come to this place to rescue him.

Turns out he wasn't so alone after all. They carried him up, up, up, taking turns so none of them got too tired. They broke through the darkness till there was nothing but sky above them now, and still they ascended. Up into the heavens, past the stars and planets and into a whole new realm.

A soft thud echoed throughout the World as they set Sora down on a winding white path that stretched out towards the door. The door had almost fully materialized and was about to connect to the ground, and Xehanort was facing it. He hadn't noticed Sora yet, as enraptured as he was by everything else that was happening.

"Thanks, Meow Wow," Sora said, stooping to give his pet a quick chin scratch. Meow Wow wiggled and squeaked, and Sora couldn't help but feel better. "Thanks, guys," he said to the rest of the Dream Eaters. "I'll take it from here."

He didn't know what Xehanort would do to them if they stayed. He'd already lost so many of his friends. He didn't want to lose his Dream Eaters, too.

Meow Wow stared up at him. If he could talk, Sora was pretty sure he'd be protesting right now.

"Please," Sora said. "I can't lose you too. I have to face him alone."

Dozens of eyes blinked up at him, and the Dream Eaters refused to budge.

"C'mon, guys. You know I'm not really alone. My friends are always with me, right here," he said, putting his hand over his heart. "And that means you're always with me, too."

They finally relented. After one last series of licks and hugs and head rubs, they disappeared into puffs of colorful smoke, their job finished.

Sora took a deep breath and strode towards the door. He had to do this. He had to challenge Xehanort one last time.

"Xehanort!" he called, trying to keep his voice steady as he readied his Keyblade. "The light hasn't expired yet. You still have me to deal with."

Xehanort turned to him and sneered. "You! I see that not even casting you into the abyss was enough to stop you."

He charged, surprisingly fast for his age. It took every ounce of Sora's remaining strength to deflect the χ-blade, the scrape of metal against metal echoing throughout the World. He pushed off of it and jumped backwards before diving into a somersault to avoid Xehanort's next attack.

"Is that really the best you can do?" Xehanort asked. "Dive and dodge and run away from me?" He laughed. "Without your friends, you truly are nothing."

"You're right," Sora said, whirling around to face him. "Even though you think they're gone, I know they're not." He put a hand over his heart, its steady rhythm pulsing beneath his fingertips. "So long as I hold their memory in my heart, they aren't—"

Xehanort raised an eyebrow, and Sora trailed off and braced himself for the worst.

 _I won't run away. I know what's at stake, and I can't abandon everyone._

"In your heart, you say? I can arrange that."

Sora knew what was going to happen a moment before it did. Xehanort didn't need him for his plans anymore, so when he felt something like a punch that knocked the air out of his lungs and pushed him into the door, it didn't come as much of a surprise. The voice had never promised he would be safe, after all. It had just requested that he stand up to Xehanort and open the door.

Knowing what was going to happen and actually experiencing it were two different things, though. He looked down and saw the χ-blade embedded in his body. He knew it was going to be there. He'd been stabbed before. The sensation was familiar.

And yet somehow the sight of it was still scary. It was wrong to have something sticking out of his chest like that. He was pinned to the door and couldn't move. No sound even came out when he opened his mouth. Just his labored, panicked breathing.

There was red, too. So much red everywhere. On his hands and flowing out of his body and spilling all over the path and smearing against the perfectly white door. It must be in his mouth, too, because a sharp iron taste was on his tongue and its sickly scent filled the air.

It hurt. His mind connected to his body as his eyes took in the proof of his injury. The pain became real and it hurt. He could only manage a choked cry before he slumped over the weapon.

 _My body_ —

But his body wouldn't do what he wanted it to.

 _I can't_ — _It hurts—_

Something stirred, deep within his heart. His friends were crying and screaming over what they'd just been forced to do to him. But he wasn't angry or upset with them. All he could feel was relief.

He managed a small smile and lifted his head, wincing at how painful even such a small movement was. _Don't be sad. You're... alive. That means… there's still hope._

His friends all tried to reply, but Kairi's voice was the one that stood out to him. She was beyond words, but Sora felt her heartbreak all the same.

 _Kairi... I'm sorry._

He turned his attention to the one person he knew he could always count on. _Riku… take care of her._

Then he addressed the rest of them. Focusing on them made the pain ease a little, enough that he could ask them one last favor.

 _Sorry guys. This is gonna hurt, but… I need your help._

He connected his heart to theirs. They knew. They knew this was it, and their comfort and strength and courage flowed into him and soothed the horrible throbbing in his chest. Not enough to stop the inevitable, but enough to keep his heart beating long enough to do what had to be done.

It was all he had time for as Xehanort moved to pull the χ-blade out of his final victim.

Sora stopped him, smearing red all over his white gloves. "No," he said softly, somehow able to speak. "This has the hearts of my friends inside of it. It belongs to me."

Their power was his power, their strength his strength. With it Sora created a blast of light that cast Xehanort into the darkness. The door was right behind Sora. All he had to do was open it. He had all the tools he needed now.

But he had to get the χ-blade out first to do that. And unlike when it went in, he felt the full pain of it coming out. His anguished screams filled the air as he collapsed to the ground, the blade gripped in his hand.

His head swam. He was dizzy from blood loss and overwhelmed by the pain in his chest. But with the last of his strength he rolled over and pointed the χ-blade at the door. A stream of light hit the lock and unsealed it at long last. The door creaked open. Sora looked inside.

 _I understand now. Thank you._

He closed his eyes and slumped back to the ground as one final breath left his body.

His mission was finally accomplished.

* * *

The χ-blade had fallen. The World was silent. Xehanort took it all in, hardly believing his eyes. It was just like the words of the prophecy had said. Light really had expired. It had died along with the boy who had caused him so much trouble, the brat who had interfered with his plans every step of the way.

But no longer. Kingdom Hearts was his for the taking. He ran towards it, pausing at Sora's lifeless body so he could pry the χ-blade covered in the boy's blood out of his hand. Funny how quickly blood went dull without any life to sustain it. Sora's face was ashen, the blood that would normally give his skin its natural flush pooling to the wound in his chest and oozing out onto the ground instead.

Death had quickly laid claim to its prize. How long would it be before rot and decay set in? Xehanort had dreaded such a fate all his life. But now he need never fear such a thing again, because Kingdom Hearts was here and it was his.

For a moment he'd been concerned when Sora had opened the door, but no longer. A dead boy could hardly become the ruler of Kingdom Hearts. Surely it would recognize Xehanort's rightful claim.

He held the χ-blade out to it. "Kingdom Hearts! At long last!"

He stopped. There was a light coming from inside the door now. It was a gentle, tender light, but to Xehanort, it was the most terrible thing in all the worlds. Light was supposed to be gone, vanquished. What was it doing here in the depths of darkness?

No. It couldn't be. Xehanort watched in horror as the light enveloped Sora's body in a soft glow. The gaping hole in his chest was mended, a scar the only remaining sign of the damage. Then the light traveled along Sora's arms and legs, healing scrapes and wounds and breathing life back into muscles and tendons.

With a shock Xehanort remembered the words his research had uncovered, about the fate of the one who would open the door.

Oh.

Oh no.

But it was too late. The light had reached Sora's heart and made it beat once more. Its thunderous pounding pulsed throughout the entire World, and he gasped as oxygen filled his lungs and blood pumped life's rhythm through his restored body at a joyous, exuberant pace.

He was alive again and the whole World was responding, brilliant pulses of light and color rushing across the ground and sky and path with each beat of his heart. His eyes flew open and his entire body shone with the same light. It lifted him to his feet and knocked Xehanort off of his. Xehanort had to force himself to look, shielding his eyes with his hands.

This was his worst fear come true. The creature before him, who he'd mocked and belittled for being ordinary and weak and human, had just been reborn as something far greater. The χ-blade flew from Xehanort's hands into his. He pointed it right at Xehanort's heart and fixed him with a piercing gaze, his eyes glowing with a brilliant light.

"Xehanort," he said, his voice filled with authority and demanding Xehanort's full attention. "All you ever wanted was to have the power of Kingdom Hearts for yourself. You spent your whole life searching for it. But you never understood what Kingdom Hearts really is."

"And what would that be?" Xehanort spat. He wanted nothing more than to crush this insolent usurper who had stolen what belonged to him, what he'd spent his life searching for.

"All your life, you've used people to get what you wanted. They were just pawns to you. You stole their power and took their hearts. You never realized that they might share those things with you because they wanted to."

Xehanort glared at him. "And I suppose that's the difference between us."

Sora crouched down and put a hand on his shoulder. Xehanort flinched at his touch but refused to move away.

"Don't you see?" Sora said. "My love for my friends, and their love for me, is what made me worthy. If only you'd realized that, this power could have been yours. If you'd opened your heart up to other people, instead of forcing it on them, then you'd be the one standing here right now instead of me."

Xehanort searched Sora's eyes. Maybe… maybe Sora was right. Maybe Xehanort was wrong. Maybe there was another way to live.

His thoughts went to Eraqus and to Master Junia. Once, they had meant the world to him. What had happened? Why couldn't Eraqus have seen the truth? His former friend had been so obsessed with the light that he refused to see the necessity of darkness. And that had been what had driven them apart.

But Sora spoke of something else, of neither light nor darkness.

 _I… I was as obsessed with the darkness as Eraqus was with the light._

 _Could it be… could it be we were both wrong? Was light and darkness never what this was all about?_

He looked into Sora's steady gaze. The boy's eyes were still filled with an otherworldly light that searched the depths of his heart. Never had Xehanort felt as exposed as he did right now.

"What you've done is unforgivable," Sora said. "Do you know how many people you've hurt? How many lives you've ruined?"

Xehanort said nothing. Without those ruined lives, he never could have summoned Kingdom Hearts. It would have been preferable if he hadn't had to take such drastic measures, but he didn't have a choice.

Sora's grip on his shoulder tightened. "You don't, do you? But I do. Their hearts are crying out to me. They're begging for justice, and I—" He closed his eyes, and his hand shook. When he finally looked at Xehanort again, he wore a pained expression. "Don't you feel any remorse?"

"Remorse is unnecessary. It only holds people back from doing what needs to be done."

Sora gave him a look filled with pity, and it only served to infuriate Xehanort. How dare the boy pity him.

"You weren't always like this. I know you weren't. Just… say you're sorry," Sora pleaded. "Apologize to all the people you've hurt, and offer to heal the damage however you can. It won't change what happened, but—"

Xehanort grabbed Sora's hand and pried it off his shoulder. He wasn't sorry. He didn't want to apologize, or pretend to get along with people who were beneath him. They refused to see the truth of the world, or that Xehanort was justified in what he'd done. How could he hope to get them to understand?

He wouldn't pretend he cared. Why should he, when he had no love in his heart for his pawns and no reason to love them? It wasn't like they cared about him either. He didn't need love to be powerful; he never had, and he never would.

"If that's what it takes, then I don't want it," he said. "I'll find another way to control Kingdom Hearts."

Sora shook his head. "There is no other way."

"No! I refuse to be your pawn!"

Sora gave him a confused look. "Why do you think I want you to be my pawn?"

Why couldn't Sora see? Either Xehanort had power over Sora or Sora had power over him. It was the way the world worked. And right now, Xehanort was in the position of powerlessness, which meant there was only one outcome. Only one outcome, unless he resisted.

"I refuse! I won't lose!"

He summoned his Keyblade. There was a loud clang as it collided with the χ-blade. Yes, he could do this. It wasn't over if he could still fight.

"Xehanort, stop!" Sora cried. He forced Xehanort back, his new powers giving him superhuman strength.

"I will not! I refuse to be your slave!"

"Then I don't have any other choice."

Sora's attack was devastating in its power. He used the χ-blade to slam Xehanort into the door, and Xehanort just barely managed to warp out of the way in time to a different part of the path. Sora was right there waiting for him, their Keyblades colliding with such force that it sent Xehanort hurtling backwards.

Xehanort was one of the greatest Keyblade masters who had ever lived, but it was hard to go against the door's chosen one. Still, he had to fight; fight for his pride and dignity, fight for all that was his, fight for all the things that should be his.

Sora, meanwhile, was fighting as if his very life was on the line. It wasn't, not anymore, anyway, but the lives of his friends were. He shouted and screamed, his eyes so full of passion and fury that Xehanort wanted to laugh. Even in this state, he was still just an impulsive boy. And that meant he could be manipulated.

He'd been saving this for a special moment. It was his last resort, the ace he held up his sleeve in case something like this happened. There was one more Seeker. She was an extra, a backup, a flash from the past. So young, so inexperienced, her body an empty shell because its heart had been torn away when her home had fallen. It had been all too easy to travel to that moment and grab it, easy to corrupt the body her heart of light wasn't there to protect.

He summoned her now. Yellow eyes blinked open, eye sockets set deep in pale skin that contrasted starkly with short red hair. Sora skidded to a halt right before the blow clearly meant for Xehanort would have struck her down.

"Kairi!" The look on Sora's face made Xehanort smirk in satisfaction. He watched as she caught him full in the face with her weapon. It couldn't have hurt that badly, but Sora reacted as if she'd just stabbed him through the heart.

Perhaps his body had ascended beyond the confines of humanity now, but his heart certainly hadn't.

"Still weak after all, I see," Xehanort said.

Sora ignored him. "Kairi, stop!" he cried, his voice breaking as he cradled his cheek. A moment later and the damage to it was completely healed.

She continued on as if she hadn't heard, slashing away at him and casting magic. Her lifeless golden eyes just stared blankly ahead. Sora held up the χ-blade to protect himself but refused to lay a finger on her.

"You don't want to hurt her again, do you? But there's no way to defeat her if you don't."

Sora's voice was filled with panic and his eyes were wide. "Kairi, please. It's me!"

"It's no use. Her heart isn't in that body and you know it. No appeals, no pleading, will get her to listen. What will you do? Sacrifice yourself again to save her?"

Sora wore a grim expression, the light in his eyes flaring up. "If that's what it takes."

The best thing about that statement was that it was true. Xehanort watched as Sora threw the χ-blade to the ground and let Kairi strike him. His arms went around her right before he slumped to the smooth ground of the path, taking her down with him.

Now was Xehanort's chance. He grabbed the χ-blade and ran over to the door. It opened wide, obeying the call of the χ-blade. He looked inside and stared in awe.

This was what he had longed for his entire life. This was what he had searched for. It was finally his, at long last. He stepped forward.

"Xehanort!"

He whirled around. Sora was right there behind him with Kairi's limp body cradled in his arms, and his eyes were blazing. Where before there had been pity and compassion, there was nothing left but wrath.

He bound Xehanort to the door with chains of golden light. He didn't have to lift a single finger to do it, something Xehanort noted with a prickling sense of unease at the back of his neck.

"How _dare_ you use her against me again! How many times will you torment her just so you can get to me?"

The chains tightened, their golden links digging into Xehanort in a way that was starting to hurt. He tried to move but found himself completely unable to.

This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"No more!" Sora looked into his eyes, and the passion and fury in them struck Xehanort as unsettling instead of foolish. "I won't let you hurt her anymore! I won't let you hurt any of them!"

In that moment, Xehanort believed him. Before Sora's devotion to his friends had been something Xehanort had used against him, but now it wasn't a weakness, only a strength. It was the very source of his power, even though he had far transcended the bounds of humanity.

"Kairi," he said, his voice filled with tenderness as he turned his attention back to her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm sending you back to Riku. He'll take care of you until I find you again. And don't be scared. We'll be separated, and we'll even forget each other for a little while. But no matter what happens, I'll always come back to you. I promise."

He released her body into the air, and it disappeared into floating orbs of light. Then he walked over to Xehanort and picked up the χ-blade. He paused, and Xehanort couldn't take it anymore. Never had he been so close to what he wanted before, and cruelty of cruelties, unable to reach it.

"Come now, what are you waiting for?"

"I shouldn't be the one to defeat you," Sora said. "They should."

He lifted the χ-blade high in the air and plunged it into the ground. Cracks spread out from where it had pierced the earth, opening an entry to the realm where they were kept.

"You'll ruin everything!" Xehanort shouted as the ground shook and split beneath them. "Without the χ-blade, you have no power!"

Sora just gave him a look. "I don't need the χ-blade. I have my friends."

"Release the hearts in that blade, and you will have my Seekers to deal with all over again. You will simply recreate the χ-blade, and your friends will be locked in eternal combat."

Sora ignored him again and plunged into the portal.

Xehanort just groaned. Powers or not, the boy was still a sentimental fool.

* * *

A/N: violence, blood, character death


	35. Chapter 35 - Liberation

Chapter 35 – Liberation

The wind whistled past Sora's ears as he flew into the realm, no, the prison where his friends were being kept. Darkness surrounded him, but the light was a part of him now. It was radiating off of him and lighting up everything in his path.

He wasn't afraid anymore. He knew he would find his friends. He would find them and he would take them back. Xehanort had no claim on them anymore. They were his. He had won them back through every trial he'd endured, every battle he'd fought, every sacrifice he'd made.

And now it was time they returned to his side.

There, below him. A bunch of gold and silver bars stretched out in every direction, the first level of the prison created to keep his friends trapped inside the χ-blade. He summoned his Keyblade and pointed it right at the bars.

"Let them go!" he commanded, and the prison gate was destroyed before his very eyes, the metal bars snapping like they were toothpicks. He cast them away into the darkness.

Speaking of which... "Light!" he called. There. He could see down into the χ-blade now, but it was still cold. "Make it warm!" he shouted, and just like that he no longer felt like he was on Arandelle and about to freeze to death.

Maybe this whole connecting hearts thing wasn't overrated after all, he thought with a grin. All the hearts that had ever existed were connected to his right now. They were lending him their power and strength in a way that probably would have blown his mind if whatever he'd become didn't also have a brain that could handle all the knowledge running through it.

Other than the hurt in his heart from losing his friends, he still hadn't hit any sort of roadblock or limit to his new powers, either, and that was both scary and pretty awesome. And right now he knew just what he wanted to do with that power.

Heart pounding, he flew into the light side of the χ-blade and landed on the first level. The floor was circular like a Heart Station, and Aqua and Terra were trapped inside it, holding hands with their eyes closed. All around them were symbols of their Wayfinder charms and pictures of their childhood together. They were floating suspended in some kind of liquid, and light flowed out of their hearts and to the outer edge of the circle through vine-like wires. Those wires were connected to the gold and silver bars surrounding this level, and Sora knew just by looking that they were feeding off of Terra and Aqua's hearts.

Not anymore. Those bars were destroyed in seconds.

"Terra, Aqua! This was your fight long before it was mine! Help me finish it!"

Sora plunged his Keyblade into the center of their prison, and it shattered into thousands of pieces. The vines trapping them fell away and the liquid poured out till the dark glass floor beneath them had cleared. They coughed as their eyes blinked open and the liquid left their noses and mouths.

"Sora?" Terra said, his eyes filled with wonder as he looked up at him.

Sora grinned. It felt good to finally have the power to do this. To free his friends.

"Sora!" Aqua cried. She and Terra both tackled him in a hug that sent him sprawling, and he gathered them in his arms and refused to let go.

Yeah, this felt great. Two holes in his heart were getting mended right now, filled when Aqua kissed his cheek and Terra ruffled his hair. But then they exchanged looks with each other, and what should have been a happy moment was weighed down by their shame.

"Sora, we're sorry about what happened—"

Sora shushed them loudly and brought them back into his arms. "Xehanort lost the moment he thought it would be a good idea to kill me. Do you really think I'm upset about that right now?"

Yeah, dying had been pretty awful, but coming back to life? Feeling his heart beat again, the air rush through his lungs, the blood pump through his veins as countless people called his name and commanded him to live again?

Awesome. And it was why he could hold Terra and Aqua like this.

It was worth it. It was worth every moment.

"Help me," he said, finally letting go to look at their dear faces. "Help me save the rest of our friends."

Sure, he could do it all himself. But he wanted their help.

They agreed, and he took their hands in his. They were powerful on their own, but they were about to get a lot more powerful. Their eyes swirled with light, and together the three of them broke through this level and flew down to the one below it. The one where Naminé was trapped.

The platform was circular again, but instead of being suspended in water, Naminé was bound by silver chains. They were wrapped around her wrists and ankles and neck, and with a start Sora noticed they were coming out of her chest and binding her to the platform.

Her eyes were closed, and all around her were blue forget-me-nots and pieces of paopu fruit. Maybe it was because they were on a deeper level, but Sora sensed that freeing her would be more difficult than freeing Terra and Aqua had been.

Well, good thing they were here with him.

"Terra, Aqua, now!"

Terra destroyed the barrier surrounding Naminé with one hit, and Aqua shattered the chains in one slash. They stared at their Keyblades and then at each other before looking at Sora.

He just grinned. "Might take some getting used to, huh?" Then he kneeled and healed the place in Naminé's heart where the chains had connected her to the platform. "Naminé, your powers can set Xehanort's Seekers free. Join us!"

He hadn't forgotten about Lea or the other Seekers. But saving the ones who wanted to be saved would take extra effort, and while he could do it himself, there was something very right about doing it through Naminé instead.

Naminé's eyes fluttered open. "Sora," she said, taking his outstretched hand. He brought her to her feet, and she took one look at him before wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm okay," he promised, putting his arms around her. "I'm okay."

"Sora, I'm so sorry—"

"It wasn't your fault."

Would all his friends blame themselves for what had happened? Surely they knew Sora never would.

"I can't even see all the connections to you anymore," Naminé said, when the hug had ended. "There are just too many."

"I can fix that," he said, and he wrapped his pinkie around hers and showed her. He showed her what he could see, the limitless possibilities inside his head, the true reality living inside his heart. Her eyes went wide with wonder. A light shone in them, and he wondered if that light was a reflection of the light inside him, because Terra and Aqua had that same light in their eyes now, too.

"See?" he said. "Everything's gonna be okay because we're gonna fix it. Together we'll mend everyone's hurt and put an end to their suffering."

"Right," she said, a radiant smile spreading across her face that matched the one on his. And with that another hole in his heart had just been filled.

The four of them flew to the next platform. Riku and the King were trapped here, one on each side. Their eyes were closed, and Riku was wrapped in branches of darkness and the King in tendrils of light. Their backs were attached to the edges of the platform, like it was feeding off them directly. Paopu fruit and crowns were spread all around them, and their arms and legs were at weird angles.

As soon as Sora and the others landed, the bars of the prison tried to entrap Terra, Aqua, and Naminé.

"Enough!" Sora commanded, and that was that. The bars were gone. But the χ-blade was resisting him more and more the deeper they went, making it harder and harder to free his friends.

"Together, everyone!" The barrier around Riku and the King shattered. Out of the darkness surrounding Riku popped a group of Neoshadow Heartless, their big yellow eyes staring up at Sora.

"Get out!" he commanded, and their hearts floated back up to Kingdom Hearts. The others cleared away the light and darkness keeping Riku and the King trapped, and then Sora took a deep breath. "Riku, I can't do this without you," he said, crouching by his friend's sleeping form. "You've gotta help me."

And then Riku was awake and the World was starting to feel whole again.

"Riku!" Terra, Aqua, and Naminé all cried at once. He had the biggest smile on his face as he saw them all there, and Sora threw his arms around him. He didn't even complain or act all awkward about it this time. He just hugged him back, his grip solid and real as it healed another hole in Sora's heart.

"I was getting worried," he finally said, giving Sora a half grin and punching him in the arm. "I told you not to give up, but there you were, sulking at the bottom of a pit somewhere. You're lucky you've got me for a Dream Eater, you know."

"I know," Sora said, checking Riku's arms and back for any damage and healing it as quickly as he could. "Thanks for sending them to get me out of there."

"Well, I suggested they pay you a visit, yeah," he said. "But I think Meow Wow would have found you on his own. You've got his loyalty for life."

Sora smiled. "Yeah." Then he glanced towards the King sleeping a little ways away. "Your Majesty, I need your help, too. Wake up!"

The King's eyes flew open. He sprung to his feet and sent himself hurtling towards Sora, who laughed and caught him.

"We're pals, Sora. Call me Mickey." He'd never looked at Sora with so much pride in his eyes, and knowing he'd made Mickey proud filled another hole in Sora's heart. "Besides, you're more of a king than I could ever be."

Sora shook his head. "Not yet. A king can't rule without his people. Help me get the rest of them back."

"Of course." Then Mickey went over to Riku to give him a hug, and Sora did the same thing to them that he'd done to the others. He lent them his power and boosted their natural abilities, and the light filled their eyes as a sign of his connection.

Riku gave a low whistle as he summoned his Keyblade and looked at it. "Wow. This is just… Wow."

"Gosh, this is a lot more power than I've ever had," Mickey said.

"Yeah, it's something else." Terra grinned. "Even your normal blows can destroy solid metal bars."

Sora could sense he and Aqua were getting impatient. They wanted to find Ven. Well, he should be on the next level.

"Ready, everyone?" Sora asked, taking Naminé's hand on one side and Aqua's on the other. They linked hands with everyone else, and with that, they broke through this level and flew down to the next one.

They couldn't even see the platform encasing Ven because a great blob-like shadow creature was covering it. Sora sent light surging through all of them and they slammed their Keyblades into it as they landed. It shrieked at the attack, its voice unearthly. Fixing its yellow eyes on Mickey, it snarled and snapped at him as he dodged around it.

"Stop!" Sora commanded, and it froze. "Go back to where you came from."

And with that it disappeared into orbs of light that floated away. But Ven's platform still remained shrouded in shadow.

"You know what they say about getting close to the light," came a voice from the platform. They watched in horror as the darkness rose up and formed a shadow Ven before their very eyes, its eyes yellow and its voice a twisted combination of his and Vanitas's voices.

"Ven!" Aqua cried, and Terra had to hold her back.

"It's not him, Aqua! Look!" Terra said.

The shadow had revealed Ven's platform below them. Gusts of wind traveled through it, tugging at Ven's hair and clothes. He was surrounded by swirls of dust and pinned to the ground by old rusty Keyblades. One was at an odd angle through his heart, feeding the χ-blade his heart's power like it had with the others before Sora had freed them.

"You have no idea what he went through before he met you," the shadow Ven said to Terra and Aqua. "He has reconciled with Vanitas, and his memory of what happened before will return once he awakens."

"Of the Keyblade War, you mean," Sora said. He could see those memories now. Ven had been there. He'd seen it all unfold. He'd been a part of things no kid should ever have to go through.

But those memories were a part of him. They'd been stolen from him, wrenched away when Xehanort had torn Vanitas away from him. It wouldn't be right to keep them from him any longer.

"Ven, I can't make the pain from those memories go away. But I can help you bear it," Sora said softly.

"We can, too," Aqua said.

Terra nodded. "Let us help."

The shadow Ven smiled. "That's all I needed to hear." And with that, it, too, was gone.

Riku, Mickey, and Naminé broke the barrier sealing Ven and dealt with the dust and wind and Keyblades trapping him. Then Terra lifted him into his arms and Aqua pulled the Keyblade out of his heart and healed it.

"Ven, wake up," Sora said, taking Ven's limp hand in his. With his other hand he took Aqua's hand and put it over his, and Ven's eyes fluttered open, vivid blue in his pale face.

"I remember," he whispered. "My friends…" Tears filled his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Sora took on his heart's pain, sharing it with Terra and Aqua as they had requested. They were all crying now, crying for Ven's lost friends, crying for all that Ven had been through.

"We're here," Sora promised, tightening his grip. "You're not alone."

The hole in Sora's heart was mended as he healed the pain in Ven's. When Ven was finally feeling better, he asked Terra to set him down. Sora only had a couple of seconds to prepare himself before Ven flung himself into his arms with such force that they both went skidding across the floor, their shoes squeaking against its glassy surface.

"I knew it would be you," Ven said as Sora hugged him back. "From the moment I met you, you were opening your heart up to other people. Looking back, it seems pretty obvious. Who else would it have even been?" He let go to give Sora a smile. "Not Xehanort, that's for sure."

Sora rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it could have been." He remembered the voice's command to leave nothing to fate. And until the door had opened and he'd finally understood the true nature of Kingdom Hearts, he thought he was going to die for good after what Xehanort had done to him.

"Nah. It was always gonna be you."

Sora put his hand on Ven's shoulder and smiled. "Thanks for always believing in me, Ven. And now I need your help again. Some of our friends are still missing."

There was someone else still trapped in the χ-blade, too. She was the first to be taken from him, and he wouldn't rest until she was free.

What kind of king would he be, anyway, without his queen by his side?

Sora gave Ven his power. Sure enough, the same light within him swirled within Ven's eyes now, too.

"Woah, cool," Ven said, and everyone laughed.

"It won't take you long to get used to it, trust me," Riku said.

Sora looked around at all their smiling faces. This was what he wanted. This was what he was fighting for.

"We're almost there," he said. "Kairi was the first piece of the χ-blade, and she's going to be the hardest to save. Be prepared for anything."

Everyone joined hands, and they broke through this level and descended to the last level. Or at least they tried to, but it was covered in vines with enormous thorns. The brambles were so thick it soon became impossible to go any further, and this layer was encased in glass, so they couldn't just go around the thorns.

"Together, everyone!" Sora called.

They burned away the thorns, but that was just the first of their worries. The χ-blade had a mind of its own, determined not to let Sora free its final light. Water poured from above, submerging them all beneath it. Sora commanded it to go away, and soon they were all coughing and gasping for air on the slick wet floor, their noses and mouths dripping water. They couldn't see Kairi, either, because beneath the glass floor was a deep, dark pit.

And almost as soon as that onslaught had ended, a new form of torment preyed on Sora's mind.

Kairi's screams as a little girl, begging for her grandma. Her voice pleading with him to overcome Xehanort's possession. Her cries as she was ripped away from him.

"Enough!"

The walls shattered, and a hole opened up in the floor. The pit sprawled out beneath them, opening its gaping mouth in a way that was downright mocking.

 _You're her hero, aren't you?_ it seemed to whisper. _Prove it. Come and get her, if you can._

"Wait here," Sora told the others. This was one rescue he was supposed to do alone. He took a deep breath and dove into the pit, and the darkness assaulted him on every side.

"Get off me!"

He fought his way deeper and deeper. This new darkness tried to claw at him, tried to find a place in his heart, but there was no place for it. The darkness inside him had already been balanced with the light and was at peace with it. This darkness wasn't supposed to be here. He cast it away till little by little it gave way to the light.

There. It was finally gone. He fell, fell, fell, until at last his feet touched solid ground. Kairi's platform. He cried out when he saw how she'd been trapped, confirming what he'd felt after she'd been taken from him. Those awful thorns from before were twisted around her arms and legs and chest. They pierced her skin and went straight through her heart, leeching off of all the light inside and using it to power the χ-blade, to form its base.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Her face was contorted in pain, and there were tears streaking her cheeks. Even in sleep she was suffering.

Not anymore. Sora destroyed the barrier himself and ripped the thorns away with his bare hands. Yeah, it hurt, but the satisfaction of doing it like that made it completely worth it. Plus he healed the damage to himself easily after healing all the places where the thorns had hurt her.

They were all gone now, and in their place was a bunch of red roses. He waded through them and knelt next to her, their soft petals brushing against his legs and their nice scent reaching his nose.

"Kairi, you've waited long enough. Come take your place by my side."

He waited for an agonizing moment.

Nothing. She didn't wake up.

He reached for her hand, but some invisible barrier kept him from touching her.

"Kairi," he said again, more gently this time. "What happened isn't your fault. I don't care about any of that. I just want you here with me."

He knew what this final barrier was for. The χ-blade hadn't made it. _She_ had. And while he could destroy it, he wanted her to take it down instead.

"I know you're ashamed. I know you think this is all your fault. But I can't reach my full powers without you. My heart can't be fully restored until you're here by my side."

All this time, first one thing and then another and then another had kept them apart. He couldn't bear the thought that now, when all those obstacles were finally gone, she was the one keeping him away.

" _Please."_ He reached for her hand again and felt a cold wall instead. "I thought – I thought I'd never feel your warmth again. I thought I wouldn't see your smile or hear your laughter anymore."

He thought of the moments leading up to his death, the regret and sorrow he'd felt over his impending separation from her.

That was the worst part about dying. Not the physical pain or the uncertainty of what would happen to him, but the heartbreak that came with believing he was leaving the people he loved behind.

Except that he hadn't. He'd come back for them. In the end, there was something much stronger than death. Death wasn't something to be feared.

He brushed his fingers across the barrier covering her face. It weakened under his touch, under his relentless gentleness. Right now, more than anything, he just wanted to hold her in his arms and cover her face and neck and hair with kisses. Then maybe she'd finally understand how much she meant to him.

"I'd rather die than lose you again," he told her. And that was the truth. He of all people could say that and really mean it.

A crack appeared beneath his hand. It was small, barely there, but he could see the barrier keeping them apart now. He caressed the part of it covering her cheek, remembering the moment she'd rested her cheek against his heart. The moment her magic had turned him human again.

What he wouldn't give to hold her in his arms again like that.

"Don't you see?" he said softly. "Whatever it takes to be with you again, I'm willing to pay the price." He smiled, something warm and tender lighting in his heart. "You mean more to me than anything."

In the end, strength and force and power weren't the answer. They never had been. This wasn't about light or darkness, either, though light was often an expression of it, and even darkness could be used to show it.

No, there was something much greater than all of those things, and it burned bright inside his heart and inside Kairi's heart.

And once Kairi decided she wanted the barrier gone, it didn't stand a chance. It shattered into pieces, disappearing into specs of shimmering light that gave way to her soft warmth. Tears filled his eyes as he choked out her name, his hand shaking as he cupped her cheek and tried to caress her face.

But the moment she opened her eyes and said his name, the χ-blade was gone, finished. It exploded into pieces all around them, and he had to grab onto her for dear life as chunks of bars and walls and floors fell away.

"I've got you," he promised, wrapping his arms around her and shielding her from the debris. He wasn't about to lose her now, not after everything he'd done to get her back.

Her arms went around him and she clung to him like she never wanted to let go. When she said his name again, just hearing her voice was enough to heal the places her loss had torn open inside him.

He wished he could show her. Turn his heart inside out and let her see what was inside it. Then maybe she would see how precious she was to him, how she was more than enough to overwhelm his heart even now. She was filling him up till he couldn't contain himself anymore, his love for her spilling over and sweeping them both under wave after wave of its warmth and light.

"You're alive," she said, as if she had to say it out loud to really believe it.

"Yeah." Every beat of his heart was proof enough of that.

"But you were dead," she said, her voice breaking. "I felt you die."

"I know. I'm sorry."

He hadn't wanted any of his friends to feel that. Especially not Kairi. But he'd needed their help to keep his body going long enough to do what had to be done. On his own he would have died before he could have opened the door.

She made a disbelieving noise. "Why are you apologizing when it's my fault you—"

"It is _not_ your fault," he said, his grip around her tightening. "It's Xehanort's. I don't care what lies he's told you."

This wasn't how he'd wanted their reunion to go, robbed of joy when it should have been completely happy.

"Kairi, look at me," he urged.

She leaned back but didn't meet his gaze. Enough of that. He wasn't letting anything come between them anymore. Especially not whatever guilt and shame she might be feeling over what had happened.

Words weren't necessary. His body was proof enough that he was alive. He found her hand and guided it to his heart so she could feel his heartbeat for herself, then lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes.

"Tell me what you see," he said, cupping her cheek with his hand. His eyes always gave him away, and he knew this time wouldn't be any different.

"Light. Your eyes are filled with light."

That was true, but it wasn't at all what he'd been asking. It bothered him, that she was focusing on how he'd changed instead of seeing that he was still her Sora.

She continued her survey of him, her eyes traveling to his chest and taking in the places where his shirt was torn and his clothes were covered in his own blood. Not really his best look, but she'd seen worse.

Then her fingers found the scar where the light had knit his chest back together, its discolored bumpy ridge standing out against the rest of his skin. Xehanort had no claim on his friends anymore, and the proof of that was carved right there onto his body.

It was a small price to pay for what he'd gotten in return, really. But after Kairi's remark about his eyes, he knew he had to make one thing clear.

"I may look different, Kairi, but I'm still me. I promise."

No matter what happened, he was still the Sora she had grown up with. Still the Sora who had searched everywhere for her. Still the Sora who loved her with all his heart. And because he did, he had to defeat Xehanort once and for all. He was determined now more than ever to free her and the rest of his friends from Xehanort's influence for good.

She didn't say anything in response, just traced a path down the scar and back up again. Her touch was slow, gentle, and he closed his eyes and sighed, enjoying how good it felt. He was alive and she was alive, and never had that simple fact felt more real than it did right now.

Was it obvious how much he wanted her to touch him? Probably. Maybe dying had something to do with it, but as nice as it had been to hold her safe in his arms and as good as her tender caresses felt right now, it still wasn't enough to satisfy him.

He wondered what _would_ be enough.

Well, he'd have to settle for this for now. They still had a war to win.

"It's not over yet," he said softly, opening his eyes. "Join me, will you? Take your place at my side and help me fight."

She pulled her hand away from his chest and fiddled with her necklace. "Do you really want me to?"

Her gaze was fixed on her shoes and he had to resist the urge to lift her chin to get her to look him in the eye again. Why couldn't she see that she had no reason to be ashamed? He couldn't get enough of her, but she kept shying away from him.

Was this… was this how she'd felt when he'd avoided her? Must've been. She wasn't the one keeping them apart before. That was all him. She was nothing but patient and understanding with him. It was only fair that he be patient with her, too.

Forcing her to be with him was no way to handle things. She had to come to him on her terms, and he had to reassure her however many times it took.

And he would. No way was he giving up on them now. Not after everything they'd been through. No, this would bring them together instead of driving them apart. He was sure of that. He just had to be patient.

Kairi spoke again. "What I mean is, after how things went last time—"

"Are you kidding? I want you here by my side always."

Her face flushed the way it always did when his honesty took her off guard. "Well, you _are_ kinda hopeless without me," she said after a moment, defaulting to her usual teasing.

Good. If she could tease him, then everything would be okay.

"Yeah. I mean, I did die when you weren't there."

She made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "You are _not_ allowed to joke about that," she said sternly.

"No?" He grinned and held his arms wide. "Sorry, but I can't help it. I'm alive again, Kairi, and it feels pretty great."

"Don't stop, then," she said, the intensity of her voice taking him by surprise. "I… I thought I'd never see your smile again, and…"

"You'll get to see it a lot more from now on," he promised, his voice soft.

She looked up into his eyes. "Then that's what I'll be fighting for."

She finally smiled, and he smiled back. His hand found hers, and he really liked this whole no glove thing. It was nice to feel her hand in his without anything getting in the way.

Her eyes glowed with his light, and the deepest parts of his heart were restored as her light worked its magic on him.

Their friends flew down to them after that and cheered when they saw the two of them holding hands. Riku called her name, and she threw her arms around him as he laughed and hugged her. Then Naminé was there and the two girls were laughing and hugging and crying, and the rest of their friends joined in or cheered Sora on.

"You did it! You finally did it!" Ven crowed, flying over to give Sora a high five.

"I know! The χ-blade's gone!"

Ven shook his head and laughed. "Not that, silly! You finally told Kairi how much she means to you!"

Sora felt his face flush. Had they all been listening? Sheesh, the next time he said such tender things to Kairi he was going to make sure they were alone with no chance of interruptions. No way was he gonna tell her all the things he wanted to say or show her how much she meant to him with all their friends watching.

Besides, he was still missing parts of his heart, and he needed those parts, too. He cleared his throat and addressed the others.

"We still have other people we need to save. Roxas and Xion, wherever you are – Lea needs you!"

He waited a moment, and then their lights came flying to him through the darkness. He wrapped his arms around them, relieved that they were both safe and sound.

 _Thanks again, Lea,_ he thought. _We're coming for you soon, I promise._

Saving Lea wouldn't have felt right without Roxas and Xion by his side. Now they were here, and he could work his power through them. That was how power like this should be used, after all.

Roxas was the first to let go, floating back a little to look at Sora. "Sora, you—"

"Died?" Sora said. Might as well cut to the chase, even if it made everyone uncomfortable. "Yeah. But I'm better now. Sorry you had to feel all that."

Xion let go, too, her eyes filled with concern, but he just grinned and ruffled her hair. He wondered if the light was radiating off his face now, as full as he was feeling right now.

He had to share it. He had to share his joy at getting them all back.

"You got to feel all the good stuff too though, right?" he asked.

She nodded. "We did. Roxas was so happy when you came back to life he started crying."

Roxas didn't protest, and Sora was glad. There was no shame in tears like that. There was no time for shame at all right now, just celebration.

Sora took Roxas's hands in his. "I guess that's okay, so long as they were happy tears."

"They were," Roxas said, giving his hands a squeeze. "You heard all our voices calling out to you, right?"

"Of course I did. I couldn't have stayed dead even if I'd wanted to."

Each and every one of their voices was precious, and the way everyone had said his name was unique, too. More memories he treasured in his heart now.

But his work still wasn't finished. "I meant what I said earlier," he said, looking first to Roxas and then to Xion. "Lea needs you. Help me rescue him."

They exchanged looks. "That's what we've wanted to do all along," Roxas said.

Xion nodded. "This time, we'll be the ones to bring him back."

Roxas found Naminé after that and, without a single word, brought her into his arms and held her tight. The look on his face warmed Sora's heart, especially when Naminé reassured him she was okay.

Xion hugged Riku, too, and Sora grinned as Riku fumbled around a bit before returning the hug.

 _Shut up,_ came Riku's warning as he shot Sora a look.

 _I didn't say anything._

 _You don't have to. The stupid grin on your face says it all._

Sora laughed and turned his attention to the rest of his friends that weren't here yet. He wanted all of them back, and he wasn't going to stop till they were all here.

"Donald, Goofy, come out of the darkness," he called. "Your king is waiting for you."

If he thought the others had hugged him for a long time, nothing beat the hugs Donald and Goofy gave him when they arrived. And he in turn just let the overflow from his heart spill over as he reassured them that he was okay.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again!" Donald scolded.

"Hey, you're the ones who got separated from me," Sora shot back. But he smiled all the same, and Goofy blubbered on and on about how proud he was, and Sora was going to lose it too if they kept this up. He told them to go talk to Mickey, because there was one last person he still had to call up.

"Master Eraqus. You're Xehanort's oldest friend. We need you to defeat him."

And then he was there and stuck in a group hug courtesy of Terra, Aqua, and Ven. But he didn't seem to mind all the carrying on, not at all. He even had a pleased smile on his face when he looked at Sora.

"I knew it would be you, Sora," he called. "It was always meant to be you. You are the true heir of Kingdom Hearts. You are its rightful ruler."

Everyone nodded, and Sora couldn't help but grin. Maybe they were right.

"Well, better put all these sweet new powers to use, then." He looked up to where he knew Xehanort was waiting, to where his Seekers had gathered.

"It's time. Let's go and make things right!"

* * *

When Sora reappeared before the door, he wasn't alone. He was surrounded by his friends, and the same light that was in his eyes was also in theirs. The χ-blade was no more, and he held the Kingdom Key in his hand. His splendid new clothes were bright red and gold and blue, and they showed off his scar like a trophy, a badge of honor, something he was proud of.

As if dying was something to celebrate. Xehanort shuddered at the thought. But what drew his attention was not Sora's Keyblade or his clothes but the golden crown adorning his head.

In that moment, it all made sense. Xehanort wasn't just facing the person who had opened the door. Sora had made so many connections with other hearts that he'd come to resemble Kingdom Hearts itself. He was an image, a reflection of a deeper reality. The door must have realized that when he opened it, and Kingdom Hearts had chosen him as its vessel to manifest itself.

He was more than human, indeed. Xehanort's Seekers had returned to his side, and he knew this was it.

This was his final chance to take Kingdom Hearts for himself.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for the feedback as always! This is one of my favorite chapters of the story and I was really excited to finally share it with you all. In the first draft, this part was just Sora breaking the χ-blade and calling his friends out of it, but having him actually go and rescue them himself was so much more satisfying to write. Wouldn't it be cool to play through something like this? was what I kept thinking as I tweaked it and tweaked it to get it just right.

Anyway, we don't know all the details of Ven's past yet, but I figured whatever happened to him in the Keyblade War was probably pretty traumatic. I wonder if canon will ever deal with his memories from that time, but I thought it would be interesting for his reconciliation with Vanitas to lead to them getting their memories back (though yes, I kept the details of those memories vague to the reader on purpose).

Anyway, thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend!


	36. Chapter 36 - Kingdom Hearts

Chapter 36 – Kingdom Hearts

Xehanort stood before the door to Kingdom Hearts, his Seekers by his side once more and their weapons drawn. They blocked the realm inside, unable to access it themselves and refusing anyone else entry.

And that included Sora, even though it was his rightful domain. He sighed. Even in defeat Xehanort was stubborn to the end. Maybe Xehanort expected him to attack first, but he had other plans.

 _Roxas, Xion, Kairi, Riku, Ven. Get ready._

They understood. This wasn't a fight, this was a rescue. Ven couldn't stop the smile from tugging at his mouth, and Roxas and Xion were both poised to run.

 _Terra, Aqua, Master Eraqus, protect them. Mickey, Donald, Goofy, distract Xehanort however you can._

Sora reached out and touched Naminé's shoulder. A burst of power came from his hand and sent a shockwave across the World. Her eyes went wide as light coursed through her body.

"Sora—"

"Set them free, Naminé!"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A blinding light erupted from deep within her, sending Xehanort and his Seekers into a confusion. The light crashed into them in wave after wave, and then there was a loud sound, as if hundreds of chains were being broken all at once. Xehanort screamed as all the hearts he held captive were set free.

Sora looked at her and grinned. What she'd just done had made him more powerful, if that was even possible. Sure seemed like the more he shared his power, the more powerful he became.

When the light had faded, Xehanort was looking at his Seekers in horror. Probably because they were no longer his. Ven had taken Vanitas by the hand and was half leading, half dragging him over to Terra and Aqua and Master Eraqus. Vanitas's eyes were no longer yellow, either. They were red, like the eyes of the Unversed. The eyes Vanitas would have had all along if he hadn't been corrupted by Xehanort since his creation.

Riku and Naminé brought the Riku Replica over to Sora, and he couldn't quite look Sora in the eye.

"Sora, I—"

Sora just shook his head. "I don't blame you for what happened. Your whole life you've been toyed with and manipulated. But not anymore. You're free to live for you now."

He smiled, and the Riku Replica smiled back. Then he left him to talk to Riku and Naminé and Sora searched for Roxas and Xion. They were nearby with their arms around Lea, and Kairi was crouched in front of him.

"Lea, we're here," she said, reaching up and touching his face. Light emanated off her hand, and his eyes opened. They were no longer yellow. They were their rightful green again.

"Kairi," he said softly, smiling as himself for the first time in ages. Then he noticed the two hanging onto his back. "Looks like you guys came for me this time," he said, his voice breaking. He swooped them up into his arms and there was a lot of laughing and crying as the hurt in their hearts was finally healed.

Isa was nearby, too. He stirred, and when his eyes opened, they were green, too. Lea excused himself and went over to him, offering his hand.

"Together," he simply said, and Isa took it. He led him back to Sora with Kairi and Xion and Roxas close behind.

He coughed and cleared his throat. "Sora, I know Isa hasn't exactly—"

"I haven't forgotten what you did," Sora said, addressing Isa directly. To his credit, Isa looked him in the eye, the guilt and shame over his behavior reflected in his face. It was a far cry from how he'd been as a Nobody and then possessed by Xehanort. "But I'm not really the one you should be apologizing to."

Yeah, Isa had humiliated him before, but what really needed to be made right was his kidnapping of Kairi and his treatment of Roxas and Xion.

"Those apologies can come later though," Sora said, glancing at Xehanort and the murderous look in his eyes.

The only reason he wasn't attacking was because of the barriers Terra, Aqua, and Master Eraqus had made to protect everyone. Either that or he was coming up with another scheme.

Enough of that. "Right now, we have a fight to win," Sora said to Isa. "Are you with us?"

"Yes."

"Then that's good enough for now."

"What have you done?" Xehanort cried, seething anger and rage. Sora could read his thoughts now. _No, it can't be! How dare they take my Seekers away from me? It's not fair!_

"If any of the rest of you leave, I will kill you," he spat, and Even stopped moving.

"No," Sora commanded. Another blast of power came out of him. It hit Xehanort and froze him. He struggled against the magic Sora had used, but it was pointless. "You've messed with their lives long enough. Let them choose."

Xehanort could only watch, helpless, as Even abandoned him, too, and Sora sent him back to Radiant Garden. The people there could best decide what to do about him and his experiments. But Dilan, Lourd, Braig, Xemnas, Ansem, and No Heart remained steadfast and stayed by their master's side.

If they refused help, then there was nothing to be done. Sora lifted his Keyblade, and—

Young Xehanort took a step towards him. Too bad Xehanort wasn't about to have that.

"It's not over yet!" he cried. He wrenched himself free of Sora's magic and grabbed first Young Xehanort and then No Heart. Sora watched in disgust as they melded together and created a monster, its face shifting between Xehanort's different ages, its body swelling up to three times its normal size. It had too many arms and in each one it wielded a Keyblade.

"Get ready to fight, everyone!" Sora called, readying his Keyblade.

But the monster wasn't done yet. It swallowed up Xemnas and Ansem next. Ansem's Guardian appeared behind it, and even it looked more hideous than normal, its body oozing darkness and a putrid smell radiating off it. Sora gagged and covered his mouth. The monster wielded Xemnas's Ethereal Blades now in its extra arms, pink lightning flickering off of the weapons.

Not even Braig and Lourd and Dilan were safe. Xehanort swallowed them up and added their powers and weapons to his arsenal. He scuttled towards the door, his body oozing darkness and staining the ground beneath him black. The places the darkness touched the ground smoked, and Sora knew better than to step on those areas.

What Xehanort had become was many times his normal size and a lot more powerful, but that didn't matter. Sora would stop him.

"Together, everyone!"

He cast them all into a new realm, a realm where Xehanort couldn't threaten the safety of Kingdom Hearts or corrupt any of the hearts inside. The ground here was perfectly flat and the place was filled with a bright light, just the kind Xehanort hated. There could be no hiding, and Sora boosted his friends' movement abilities so they could fly and run faster than they ever had before. And if Xehanort even thought about trying to escape, it was impossible. The area was surrounded by golden chains that kept them all inside.

They began the attack. They wailed on the Xehanort monster, their weapons striking him over and over again. Even if he ran away from one of them, someone else was there waiting for him.

He shot some of that poisonous-looking black goop at Mickey and Xion, but they dodged it easily. The goop landed on the ground and started smoking, but the light banished it in a puff of smoke.

When he tried to shoot Lea and Isa with Braig's arrow guns, they flew out of the way, readied their weapons, and crashed back to the ground with a powerful joint strike. Riku and his Replica went after the monster and its many limbs in bounding leaps, their darkness counteracting it, and Kairi and Naminé joined together to blast one of its faces with light.

"Donald, Goofy!" Sora cried, and together they joined hands and prepared a Trinity Limit that blasted light at the monster. It shrieked and screeched, its voice inhuman, and Sora resisted the urge to cover his ears because Ansem's Guardian was trying to grab him.

 _So this is what you've reduced yourself to,_ he thought, rolling out of the way, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity. Even after all this Xehanort still didn't understand.

Terra, Aqua, Ven, Eraqus, and Vanitas all worked together and trapped the Xehanort monster with Eraqus's trademark golden chains. The others continued striking it as it tried to retaliate with Lourd's cards. Roxas summoned his Nobodies, and they lunged in front of them all, disappearing inside the cards as they were sent to the shadowy realms contained within them.

Sora called to Riku and Kairi. "Together!" he shouted, and they prepared their special Yin Yang attack, Kairi the light, Riku the darkness, and Sora the balance of the two. Light shot out of Kairi's Keyblade and darkness from Riku's. Sora absorbed the energy and channeled it into himself, combining the light and darkness together and amplifying it, then pointed his Keyblade at the monster. It screamed and roared and tried to guard itself with Xemnas's translucent barriers, but it couldn't do anything to stop the onslaught.

One last attack should do it. Sora joined hands with Kairi and Riku, and they in turn joined hands with Mickey and Aqua, and one by one everyone linked up till they were all connected in a great circle around Xehanort. First their eyes all glowed as he boosted their power to the limit, then their hands where they were joined together, and finally their whole bodies and faces lit up.

"Now!" Sora called. Together they unleashed an attack the likes of which the World had never seen before and would probably never see again. Light exploded forth from deep within them, joining together and blasting Xehanort so completely that it shattered the chains surrounding this realm.

The Xehanort monster was finished, through. It fell to pieces, the people trapped inside released in a pile of sticky black goo. This realm was done, too, its purpose complete, and Sora returned them all to the area in front of the door once more.

Kairi didn't waste any time. Her Keyblade soon found Xehanort's face, and she stared down at him, her lip curling at the pathetic state he'd been reduced to.

"You," she said, glaring.

But instead of showing any kind of fear or remorse, he smiled. "I killed your precious Sora," he taunted, wiping darkness from his mouth as he struggled to his feet. "I have his blood on my hands."

As if to prove it to her, he showed his white gloves stained dark red to her. Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. Her grip on her Keyblade tightened, and her hand shook as her heart was torn between—

"Enough!" Sora shouted, jumping between them. He wouldn't let Xehanort throw his death in her face. He wouldn't let Xehanort goad her into giving into her darker impulses. He'd only put up with Xehanort for this long out of the hope that the people he'd taken captive might be saved. But the sad truth was, they didn't want to be saved. They'd proven that by staying by Xehanort's side, even after Sora had given them the chance to be free.

All except for one of them. Young Xehanort groaned and raised himself to a sitting position nearby. "End me," he said. "If you kill me before I return to my time, you'll stop all of this from ever happening. I'll never become the monster before you now. You'll never have to die. I'll never ruin the lives of your friends."

Sora stared down at him, the Kingdom Key slowly lowering to his side. "I – I could. I could do it."

He could see it now, a reality without Xehanort, a place where his friends were happy, a World without their tears. The power within him stirred, waiting to be commanded into action.

"I could stop all of this from ever happening." All the pain, all the hurt, all the heartbreak. He turned to his friends, his precious, beloved friends. He lived for them. He'd died for them. And now he could rewrite reality for them.

"I could destroy them all – everyone who's ever hurt you, everyone who ever will hurt you. I could take all of your pain away like it never even happened."

His gaze found Kairi, and he heard echoes from that awful lab. "I could – I could make it so that no one could ever hurt you ever again. I could hurt everyone who's ever hurt you."

He could make _them_ scream instead. That was what they deserved, for hurting his precious Kairi. She'd suffered long enough. Now it was _their_ turn to suffer instead. Every scream, every tear, every drop of blood – it had all been carved into his heart and engraved in his memory. He'd seen it all and he would inflict it all on Xehanort and everyone else who had ever hurt her. It was the least he could do after all the times he'd let her down and broken his promises.

But the way she was looking at him right now was the same way she had right before he'd choked her. And the darkness inside him was roiling, his dark form screaming to come out and make them all pay.

 _No. Not like this. Never like this._

He sighed, his shoulders slouching and the darkness returning to normal levels within him. The black smoke oozing off him dissipated, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Kairi relax.

"But I can't. I can't do that. If I did, I would be no different from Xehanort." He looked at his friends again. "I am who I am because of you. Xehanort may be the reason we met. He might even be the reason some of us exist at all. But I wouldn't change any of it. All the suffering, all the pain – it was worth it, if it means you're a part of my life."

He took a deep breath. "I hope you understand, why I can't take your hurt away. If I do, I'll erase the memories. It'll make light of what you've been through. We are who we are because of it. Take that away, and what's left? Are we really even the same people anymore?"

"It's okay, Sora," Riku said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We understand."

"I can't erase the hurt," Sora said softly, "but I can be with you. And I can make things right."

And right now, that meant he had to deal with Xehanort. He turned to Young Xehanort now. "I can't punish you for crimes you haven't committed yet, but… I can send you back to your time with the knowledge you have now. If you want to, you can—"

"You have no idea how cruel you are," Young Xehanort said, his eyes flashing. "I am doomed to this future no matter what, and you would have me go back to the past, knowing what I will become?"

"The choice is yours," Sora said.

He glanced at Master Eraqus, who just looked at him sadly.

"Make me forget," he said. "Let me have at least a few years of happiness."

Sora did as he requested, and he disappeared. No Heart and Xemnas and Ansem were likewise returned to their own times, and Sora sent Lourd and Braig and Dilan to a place where they would be secure until he could decide on what to do with them.

Xehanort was the only one that remained. He turned and addressed Master Eraqus. "Eraqus, you know the prophecy. I was set on this path because of fate. I had no other choice."

Master Eraqus shook his head. "You're wrong. You did have a choice. You chose to steal Terra's body. You chose to sunder Ventus's heart in two. You chose to send your minions after Aqua again and again and again."

"I had to make the prophecy come true. I had to—"

Master Eraqus regarded him with a furious glare. "Terra and Ventus are my sons, and Aqua is my daughter, _Xehanort._ How dare you meddle with their lives as if they were pieces in a game."

Xehanort paused. When he looked at Master Eraqus again, it was with something like regret. "Do all of our years of friendship mean nothing to you?"

"They meant the world to me," Master Eraqus replied, and there was real pain in his voice. "You were the one they meant nothing to."

Enough of this. Sora stepped in before Xehanort could try to manipulate anyone else.

"Xehanort, you refuse to leave my friends alone," he said. "You've chosen the path of destruction and continue to leave nothing but pain and suffering in your wake. We have no choice but to cast you out. Return to Kingdom Hearts!"

A steady stream of light came from their weapons and hit him from all sides. The door opened wider. It pulled him to it. And it was in that moment that Xehanort realized the one thing he thought he wanted more than anything was, in fact, what he didn't want at all.

His screams were drowned out by the closing of the door. It was over. It was finally over.

But not for Sora. He lifted his Keyblade. The time of destruction and hurt was over, and the time of restoration and healing had come.

He knew what he had to do. Kairi's words echoed through his mind, about how he was with her somehow through her experimentation. At the time he'd thought it was mysterious, strange, but not anymore.

Because now he could make it a reality. His heart was strong enough to bear her suffering without it breaking him. And not just hers. He would do it for all of them. He wouldn't abandon them in their hour of need. If there was one thing he'd learned after all this time, it was that the best comfort in the midst of suffering and despair was the presence of a friend.

Time and space weren't really an issue anymore. He could travel freely throughout them like he was taking the Gummi Ship for a spin to a new world. He could spend an eternity in the past and return like only a moment had passed in the present. And that meant he could find his friends and be with them like he'd promised.

He found Riku's guilt and self-loathing and let himself succumb to it. He found Master Eraqus and took on his regret and suffered the wound of Xehanort's betrayal. He felt himself split in two along with Vanitas and let his heart leak out through the Unversed. He went through Isa and Lea's experimentation and bore their loss. He was taken hostage along with the Riku Replica and forced into a new body.

He found Aqua in the darkness and gave his heart over to her despair. He found Ven's heart and let his be shattered along with it. He found Terra's rage and let it consume him, let Terra's violation at Xehanort's hands violate him.

He found Naminé and let the Organization abuse him along with her, let her loneliness make him feel alone, abandoned. He found Xion's anguish and let it drown him. He found Roxas and let his heart be broken by his loss. He remained as all the lying voices assaulted him, telling him and Roxas and Xion and Naminé they didn't deserve to exist.

On his own he never could have done it. But he wasn't alone. And even though his heart was breaking, it wasn't completely broken. The strength from his friends sustained him, and the courage welling up deep inside him kept him going. His friends might not know he was there with them, but they would understand someday, and that thought drove him forward through all their tears and all their pain till at last he found Kairi.

He offered his heart to suffer along with her, starting with the most recent hurt and working all the way backwards till at last he reached the tank. But unlike the others, she knew. She knew he was there. The moment she looked at him, it was like time had frozen and they were in another place entirely. His heart was scattered all over the floor in a million pieces, but she was picking them back up and handing them to him, one by one.

He took them from her tiny fingers. _Just who's comforting who here?_ he wondered.

"Why are you sad?" she asked, sniffing and wiping her nose. She found another piece of his heart and made a small fist around it. Light shone off of it for a moment before she handed it back to him.

"Because you're sad," he said as he took it from her and returned it to his chest. "When you hurt, I hurt."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern. "I don't want to hurt you."

He shook his head. "You're not hurting me. When that man put you in the tank, he hurt you. That's what's hurting me."

Kairi frowned, her face scrunching up. "I don't want you to hurt because of me."

Sora's heart broke a little more at her words. Even at this age she was completely focused on other people and not on her own pain.

"I can't help it," he said, his voice breaking. How was he supposed to explain in a way she would understand?

Kairi looked up at him. "Don't cry." She tottered to her feet and threw her arms around him. Or at least tried to. She was so small they barely reached around his sides. That just made him cry harder.

"Kairi," he sobbed, gathering her in his arms and bringing her close. "I'm here," he said over and over again, hoping she would understand. That was all he could offer, and he hoped it would be enough. Only the thought of her present self was stopping him from erasing Xehanort from ever existing right then and there.

She looked up at him again, taking a moment to wipe the tears away from his face. Then he watched as she called the light forth from deep within her, and they were back in that tank and she was blasting all the Heartless away with the same light she was using to heal his heart.

Sora understood why Aqua's enchantment had brought her to his younger self on Destiny Islands after Radiant Garden fell. Because her heart remembered. Her heart knew. As the years passed, her mind might have forgotten, but her heart never had.

The light deep within her, the light of a Princess of Heart, couldn't help but be drawn to his light, the light of the true ruler of Kingdom Hearts. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was destiny, but to Sora it felt like something else entirely. And that something was what drove him to return to her and the rest of his friends.

Only a few moments had passed since he'd left. His heart was even stronger than before and his bonds to his friends tighter and closer. He knew their pain and he'd experienced their suffering, and that meant they could be a part of his joy now.

They knew, too. They knew what it was he'd just done for them, and they stared at him in a mixture of awe and wonder.

"See? You weren't alone," he said, wiping his eyes and smiling. "You were never alone."

They drowned him in a flood of gratitude and affection after that. It poured inside him and healed all the places their hurt had broken him. They knew how to mend it, and he knew how to heal them. The memories would remain, and so would the scars, but they were like badges of honor now, the signs of their victory.

He wanted to celebrate that victory, but he still had other things he had to do first. He'd comforted his friends, but now it was time to heal the worlds. He called on all the hearts connected to his, on every heart in existence. This was what he wanted, and this was what they wanted. He drew from their power and took a deep breath.

"Provide my friends with safety and happiness. Heal their hurt and dry their tears. Give back the years that were lost."

The whole World shook, as if it were about to break apart, and his friends gave him nervous looks. But they were in his care, and he wouldn't let anyone lay so much as a finger on a single one of them. He sent them to another realm where they would be safe for now.

"Bring an end to the suffering and chaos Xehanort has brought."

The earth split open, and there were loud rumblings in the sky. Not too much of a surprise, considering all the stuff he was fixing right now.

"Balance the light and darkness. Let peace come. Turn the Heartless and Nobodies human again."

This was going to take extra effort. He braced himself and plunged into the darkness far beneath him. He landed and found the Heartless and Nobodies in the shadows, but they cowered from him and refused to come close.

It was the light inside him. They were afraid of it, afraid of him. Afraid he was going to use his Keyblade on them like he always had.

But there was no need. He could restore them without fighting them now. He turned into his own Heartless form and crouched low to the ground instead.

 _See? If I can become human again, so can you._

He wasn't just ruling over humanity, after all. He was ruler of everyone, people and Heartless and Nobodies alike. He hadn't forgotten them. He hadn't forgotten what it was like to be a Heartless. He hadn't forgotten Roxas's suffering, either. And he wasn't going to let people be torn apart like that anymore. The Keyblade could be used for other purposes again.

Slowly, carefully, a small Shadow dared to come near. He reached out and touched it, and it jumped back a bit before scooting closer again. He caressed its face, and it closed its big yellow eyes and leaned into his touch.

 _No one's touched you since you became a Heartless, have they?_

Kairi's magic always worked when she hugged his Heartless form. And sure enough, touch was the way to make these Heartless and Nobodies human again, too. That Shadow and a nearby Dusk combined and transformed into a young girl wearing tattered clothes, and she stared up at him in wonder.

The other Heartless and Nobodies didn't waste any time. They practically dogpiled him for the chance to become human again, tugging at his clothes as he restored them all, one by one. There were so many of them, people from all different worlds and ages and backgrounds. When the last one was finally human again, he turned himself human again, too.

They said his name. They knew his name. And he knew them, too. He knew their names and homes and families. He knew what worlds they were from and how they'd become Heartless and Nobodies.

And now they needed a way home.

"Restore the world order, and create pathways between the worlds," he commanded and sent them all on their way.

It would be absolute chaos to keep all the worlds as one World. He knew splitting them up again was better. But that didn't mean they couldn't be connected. They'd be like separate kingdoms, still independent and self-governing but able to communicate with the other worlds if they'd like.

Yeah, that was going to take a lot of coordination, and his head hurt thinking about all the boring government stuff he was going to have to do to set it up, but it would be worth it. He could see his friends again anytime, and they could come visit him, too.

Well, might as well get things started. "To my friends from all the worlds I've been to and to the leaders of those I haven't visited, come meet me at my castle. We have a new world order to create."

Their lights flickered brilliantly and shot on up ahead of him. The door to Kingdom Hearts had opened once more, and light was bathing everything in its warm glow. It was time. Sora smiled and went through it. He flew through the brilliant sky and landed in the throne room of his giant floating castle.

Not that he was bragging or anything, but it looked pretty awesome. And his friends from the worlds were here – Aladdin and Jasmine, Jack and Sally and the Mayor, Rapunzel and Eugene, Anna and Elsa, Hiro and Baymax and the rest of the team, Buzz and Woody, Alice, Belle and Adam, Meg and Hercules, Merlin and the rest of the Restoration Committee, Tron, Tarzan and Jane, Mickey and Minnie, Master Yen Sid, Ariel and Eric, Peter Pan and Wendy, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Phillip, Jack and Will and Elizabeth, Mulan and Shang, Simba and Nala, Ansem the Wise, Master Eraqus, Kairi's adopted parents – and the leaders from other worlds he hadn't been to yet. He recognized Kida and Milo as well as King Richard and Robin Hood and Maid Marian from what Riku and Kairi had told him. And the big guy with the little girl must be Ralph and Vanellope.

After spending time greeting everyone (which mainly involved getting attacked with so many hugs his heart felt like bursting), he looked towards his throne. His friends fell silent and stepped aside. He climbed the steps leading up to it, thinking about the last throne he'd sat on. Well, more like been forced to sit on. This one was completely different. The red velvet cushion looked really comfortable, and the seat back was twisted into a nice heart shape with a crown on top that matched the one on his necklace.

It was literally made for him.

He sat down and took a moment to take it all in. Looking at the faces of his friends, looking out at his kingdom – it finally sunk in.

 _I really am king._

He took a deep breath. He wanted to live up to the title. He wanted to prove himself worthy of the power Kingdom Hearts had entrusted him with.

"We've got a lot of work to get done," he said. "I've got power over time, so we can spend months here if we need to. Only moments will pass by for other parts of the universe, and we won't age at all. You'll be back home before you know it."

He paused and took in their reactions. Everyone seemed okay with that, so he continued. "Help me make a reality where we can live together in peace and harmony. Help me set up a system that will allow us to travel to each other's worlds freely. And help me connect our worlds together in a way that honors each one's independence."

His requests were met with thunderous applause and cheering. As he smiled back at his friends, he couldn't help but think of his secret request, the last criterion he had in mind but didn't say out loud. It was what drove him forward, the one thing he wanted for himself. He had a lot of work to do to make it happen, but he wouldn't rest until he was finished.

He'd made a promise, after all, and he fully intended on keeping it.

* * *

A/N: I like the idea that although Kairi's heart is made of pure light, she still has to face the same fears and deals with the same weaknesses and temptations that everyone else does, so I wanted to include that in this story.

And on that note, if Sora were ever tempted to become evil, it would absolutely be because he wants to help his friends. He loves them and really would do anything for them, and that struggle between wanting to help them and wanting to do the right (or wise) thing would really get to him, I think. It's part of the reason why I'm so excited to see how he handles the temptation to bring Roxas back by giving into the darkness, and it's also why I had him grapple with a similar temptation in this chapter.

As for his decision to keep the worlds separate but connected as opposed to all one World - the practical side of my brain kicked in and was like "yeah no keeping it all one World would be absolute chaos, the power struggles and fighting over resources and differing levels of technology would be a recipe for disaster so, uh, let's not do that." The other side of my brain though was like "it would be cool to shake things up though and have the worlds return to how they were in the Age of Fairytales" so this was my compromise, the worlds are back to being independent but travel between them will be easier. And everyone knows other worlds exist now thanks to Xehanort, because otherwise Sora would have to perform massive memory wipes on everyone basically and that does not strike me as the type of thing he would do or be comfortable with (knowing how he felt about forgetting Kairi during COM and all...)

Anyway, thank you for the lovely reviews as always, and thank you for reading! Have a good week!


	37. Chapter 37 - Affection

Chapter 37 – Affection

Kairi held her hand over her eyes, waiting for the light to return to normal. When she could finally see again, she noticed puffy clouds streaking the pink and blue sky above. She was in some kind of garden, its gold and blue walls all around her. A fountain nearby spouted crystal clear water, and rose trellises were arranged in a perfect circle around it. Beneath the shining tiles of the pavement, there wasn't anything. No ground, only sky.

She was standing in the courtyard of a giant floating castle. That was cool, but it was also kind of terrifying. What if she fell off the edge?

But more importantly, where was everybody else?

"Sora? Riku?" she called.

"Kairi, there you are!" It was Aqua. She wore a radiant smile on her face as she raced over and grabbed Kairi's hand. "C'mon, everyone's waiting!"

"Waiting for what?"

"You'll see."

Aqua led her through a series of gardens and courtyards. The flowers were beautiful, their fragrance wafting to Kairi's nose and reminding her of Radiant Garden. There was something else about this place, too, something familiar—

At last they entered an enormous hall, and Aqua pushed aside the double doors. They went inside a grand throne room. Stained glass windows lined the walls, letting in colorful light that flickered and flitted across the shimmering floors.

Wait, those stained glass windows were familiar. With a shock Kairi realized why she recognized them. They were Sora's Heart Stations. A warm feeling settled in her chest when she saw how many times she was featured on them.

Ven and Terra and Master Eraqus all smiled as she passed them, and Roxas and Naminé did, too. Vanitas managed a half smile, which was pretty good, coming from him. Lea winked and squeezed her hand, and Isa nodded ever so slightly. That was okay though. Apologies could come later.

She waved at Xion and the Riku Replica, who were hanging out near Mickey and Donald and Goofy. The four of them gave her a thumbs up, and finally she was standing next to Riku.

"You're late," he whispered, but he was grinning.

"Kairi."

She turned to look at the source of the voice, so familiar, so dear. Sora was seated on the throne above them. His right leg was crossed over his left, and his hand rested on his cheek. His crown was perched on top of his head, his spikes poking out of the top and supporting the sides. And the light still glowed in his eyes, hinting at the power held within him now.

So he really had become the ruler of Kingdom Hearts. This splendid palace must be his new domain. She could feel every eye in the room on her as she stared at him.

 _What should I do? He… he's more than human now. What do I even say?_

Sora's presence had always been comforting and safe, but looking at him now, she wasn't sure what to think. He was still Sora, and yet he wasn't. There was something almost intimidating about him now, an air of dignity and authority that commanded her attention. She was rooted to the floor, unable to move or even say anything as he searched her face.

Thankfully, he spoke again. "Kairi, I'm glad you're here."

She finally found her voice. "Yeah, me too. I'm glad you're here, too." She looked at her shoes and the shining floor beneath them. "Sora, about the χ-blade… "

She knew how he'd felt when he'd been forced to hurt her, because she'd been forced to hurt him, too. They all had. The memory of piercing his heart would be with her for the rest of her life, and when he'd died, a part of her had felt like it had died, too. He'd told her it wasn't her fault, but… it was hard not to feel like she was the cause of his death, and she wanted to apologize.

But he wasn't about to have that. "Kairi," he said, leaning towards her, "I am more than okay now. Please don't blame yourself for what happened." He gave her a gentle smile, then addressed everyone. "I don't want any of you to blame yourselves for what Xehanort made you do. It's not your fault."

"That goes for you too," Kairi said, giving him a pointed look.

"I know," he said softly.

Had he… had he finally forgiven himself?

"Anyway," he continued, addressing them all again in a louder voice, "I wanted to thank you guys for your help. Xehanort's been defeated for good, and peace and order have been restored to the worlds."

With that, everyone cheered, and Sora smiled. He'd smiled a lot lately, but it was still so good to see his smile again.

"You guys are free to go home. Thank you for everything, and good luck."

Wait, he was sending them all home? She looked at Riku, who just shrugged.

"But what about you, Sora?" Donald asked, giving voice to her thoughts.

"I… I have to stay here," Sora replied. "There are things I still have to do." His eyes flickered upwards. The weight of the crown on his head was a symbol, a physical reminder of the role that had been chosen for him.

Kairi wondered if it was heavy.

"Y'mean, you can't come with us?" Goofy was not pleased to hear this news, not one bit.

Sora shook his head, and Kairi felt a stab of dread in her gut. Were they still going to lose him, even after everything?

"But Sora…" Roxas protested.

"We won't just leave you behind!" Naminé grabbed Roxas's hand, distraught at the prospect.

"Sora, is this what you really want?" Terra asked. Sora simply nodded, and Terra bowed before turning to go.

"Wait, Terra, where are you going?!" Ven demanded.

"Home," Terra said. "Are you and Aqua coming with me?"

Aqua was torn. She looked between Terra and Sora and back again.

"Go with him," Sora said. His expression softened. "You've waited long enough."

"Thank you," she said. She climbed up the stairs to the throne and gave Sora's hand a squeeze, then took Terra's and followed him out the great doors. Ven and Vanitas said goodbye to Sora next. Master Eraqus spoke with Sora for a few moments after that, and then he, too, followed after them.

One by one, the rest of their friends bade him farewell. Roxas and Xion and Naminé thanked him for saving them and then left. The Riku Replica thanked him for giving him a second chance, and Lea told him he better have it memorized and followed after them with Isa in tow.

"Gosh, Sora," Mickey said, "is this really goodbye?"

"Yes. Thank you for always guiding me on the right path."

Donald and Goofy were next. They listed off all the things that had changed about their lives after Sora had met them, shared all the happy memories with him. Afterwards, they hugged him, then they, too, joined Mickey and left.

It was just Kairi and Riku now.

"Look at you, all high and mighty," Riku said. "Still not gonna call you something stupid like Your Majesty though." He grinned and shook his head. "Can't let you get a big head now."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? My head's no bigger than yours. And you better not call me that. It'd be weird if you did."

Of everyone, Riku… didn't seem to be treating this very seriously at all.

"See you around," he said, and waltzed off as if they'd be seeing Sora again tomorrow to hang out on the Play Island.

She stared after him in disbelief. How could he act so casually, knowing this was goodbye? Kairi had half a mind to stomp after him and give him a piece of her mind, but then Sora cleared his throat.

"Kairi—"

"Sora—"

They stopped.

"You first," he said.

Kairi swallowed. They were finally alone, and she still had no idea what to say. She fiddled with her necklace. Words. She had to say words.

"Is this really goodbye?"

"Kairi, look at your body," he gently instructed. She did. With a gasp, she realized her arms were translucent. So were her legs.

"You can't stay here," he said softly. "You're already fading. You belong in the realm of light with everyone else."

"But what about you? Won't you be alone?"

He shook his head. "I'm never alone." Fumbling with something in his pocket, he took out her lucky charm to show her. "See?"

A lump built in her throat. He still had it. Even after everything that had happened, he still carried it with him.

"Is there really no way you can come with us? Are you really… are you really stuck here forever?"

It wasn't fair. Even after everything, they still couldn't be together. Tears pricked at Kairi's eyes at the injustice of it all.

"Kairi," he said, the power swirling in his eyes. "If I stay here, I can heal everyone's hurt. I can right wrongs, stop wars, restore worlds. I can keep someone like Xehanort from hurting anyone ever again."

Be that as it may, the thought of him spending the rest of his days here alone was unbearable. She tried in vain to swallow the lump in her throat before she spoke again.

"I-I know, but it still hurts to say goodbye."

He drummed his fingers across his knee and raised his eyebrow. "Goodbye? Who said this was goodbye?"

Kairi's heart lurched. "Sora?"

His lips were twitching, and a mischievous spark danced in his eyes. "I said, who said this was goodbye?"

She could hardly believe her ears. "But earlier – you said – I mean – you – you want me to stay here with you?"

It was an option she hadn't even considered. She wasn't sure about leaving everything and everyone else behind, but if Sora really wanted her to—

"No." He paused, amused by her utter confusion. "You aren't staying here, Kairi." A radiant smile spread across his face as the meaning behind his words fully sank in. "I'm coming with you."

He finally stood and removed the crown from his head. His eyes never left her face as he spoke, his voice thundering throughout the whole castle.

"To all the worlds and everyone in them, hear me now: I'm giving you back the power you gave me. It belongs to all of you. It's not right for me to keep it for myself."

He was giving it all up? He was giving up his power?

"Sora, wait!" Kairi cried. "Are you sure?"

"If it means I get to be with you?" He grinned. "Really, Kairi, do you even have to ask?"

"But what about everyone else?" She didn't want him to give up everything just for her sake. Not when so many people's futures were at stake.

His expression grew serious. "Everyone else will be just fine. It's not up to me to control their lives. For you and our friends it was just a few moments, but for me it felt like ages. I changed how time passed in this castle for a while and made sure the worlds would be at peace. I spent day after day after day helping their leaders make agreements with each other. It's up to them to decide what to do with the future I've given them."

"But without you, how will it all hold together?" Kairi could picture it now, society collapsing and the worlds at war with each other because Sora giving up his control would leave a power vacuum behind.

"It'll hold together because we designed it to work like that. Most of the leaders are my friends, and the rest of them respect me. They knew my power was temporary right from the start. I told them I was going to give it up, and that was the basis for all the agreements and treaties they made with each other. We made a council, too, that will vote and make decisions about how to handle inter-world relations going forward. They'll rule over themselves instead of me ruling over everyone."

Well, at least he'd considered that sort of thing. Maybe things really would hold together okay if he stepped down from his throne. Still, she had to make sure. He'd loved using his power to help their friends. Would he really be okay with giving it up? Would he be okay with all the future hurt he couldn't stop?

"Are you really sure?" she asked him again, just to be safe.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop at her question. Black smoke swirled at his feet, and he transformed into his Heartless form, his yellow eyes boring into her.

"You saw me," he said, his voice deeper and with a hint of a growl in it. "You saw how close I was to giving in to the darkness in my heart. I almost abused my power and erased Xehanort from ever existing. Can you imagine how bad that would have been? I could have destroyed our friends' lives out of my selfish desire for revenge."

"It wasn't selfish! You wanted to do it for us." She paused, remembering the look on his face, the agony in his eyes as he'd warred with himself. "You wanted to do it for me."

He transformed back into himself and smiled sadly. "And that's why I can't keep this power. I made you a promise, remember? I've done a bad job of keeping it, but that's going to change, right here, right now."

Kairi chewed her lip. "As long as that's what you really want."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Kairi, there's no question about it. This is _all_ I've ever wanted. I'm only okay because I didn't think we'd have to wait this long. If I'd known from the start—" His voice cracked and his eyes flew open. Glowing power or not, she could still see the hurt in them. "Is this not what you want?"

"It is!" The boldness of her own voice took her by surprise, and her cheeks flushed as she ducked her head. "More than anything." Her hand found her necklace again, and she fiddled with it as she mustered up the courage to say the rest. "I just… you would really do that?" She dared to look into his eyes, bracing herself for whatever she might find in them. "You would give it all up for me?"

Instead of the exasperation or frustration she was half expecting, her doubts were met with an affectionate smile. Like everything she said and did only endeared her to him that much more.

"Watch me," he said, his voice delightfully cocky. Then he lifted his eyes and addressed the worlds once more. "Hear that, everyone? I'm giving up my power to be with Kairi like I promised. That means I'm entrusting you with the future. All I ask is that you use this power for good like we agreed, to help and heal instead of hurt and harm."

She watched as he gave it all up. The light of Kingdom Hearts left his eyes and the power seeped out of his body. It swirled upwards into the ether. Then there was an explosion of light that rang out through all the worlds as the power of Kingdom Hearts was returned to the people.

And her dear, beloved Sora was fully himself again, wonderful and ordinary and human. His blue eyes had never looked as beautiful as they did now.

"There," he said, his hands shaking as he tossed his crown to the side. "Nothing's standing in our way anymore." He raced down the steps towards her, stumbling a bit before he managed to catch himself and continue. Her heart was hammering so loudly in her chest it was a wonder it didn't break through and slam into him as she closed the rest of the distance between them.

He swept her off her feet, spinning her around and around. Their joy overflowed into laughter till it filled the entire hall. And the hall was responding; it was like a living, breathing thing bursting with light and color, the stained glass windows lighting up, the floors shining, Sora's delight and affection for her reflected in every tile and inch of wall and pane of glass in this place.

When he finally slowed down, the expression on his face turned into something else entirely as he set her back on her feet.

"Kairi," he said, his tone making her heart race as pulses of light spread outward from where they stood. He traced her cheek with his hand, and she sighed and leaned into his touch. His breath quickened, even as time slowed down around them. The look he was giving her right now was making it hard to focus on anything else. The whole castle seemed to fade away around them.

Then, unable to bear their separation any longer, he brought his lips to hers. A surge of giddiness and euphoria came over her as he filled her mind and heart. He flooded her senses with the taste of his mouth, the touch of his hand, the warmth of his breath. In that moment, he was the only thing that mattered.

When it was over, she whispered his name and opened her eyes. His lashes likewise fluttered open, only his eyes were shimmering with tears. One even slid down his cheek as she watched.

"Y-you're crying?"

He wiped his eyes. "I'm okay, Kairi, I promise." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers trailed to her cheek again, his touch soft and tender. "This is just…" he paused, his voice temporarily failing him, "…the happiest moment of my life."

Her eyes welled up with a few tears of her own. But it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Not at all. Especially not when Sora gave her another one of his radiant smiles. Her chest tightened, and her arms were around him and her lips against his before he could register what was happening.

He recovered from his surprise and responded with equal enthusiasm. She wove her fingers into his hair and parted her lips, inviting him in, guiding him deeper. His hands went around her waist, and he pulled her close as he explored her mouth with an eagerness that was as much endearing as it was exciting.

He finally leaned back. He was out of breath, and his eyes swirled with emotion as he gazed into hers. What he'd just done had left her aching for more. She stared at his lips and swallowed, not ready to be done yet. And neither was he. Her wordless plea was rewarded with another kiss that sent her head spinning. Any inhibitions on his part were gone, a realization that made her weak in the knees. Good thing he had his arms around her, bringing them together till it was difficult to say where he ended and she began.

But they couldn't stay here forever. Their friends were still waiting for them back home. She finally broke off the kiss, only for him to catch her hand with his before she could return it to her side. All he could manage to say was her name, but even that was enough to tell her he still wanted more.

She twined their fingers together and gave him a sympathetic smile. The glow from their time together was still radiating off his face (and the entire castle, for that matter), and in her heart of hearts she didn't want to bring such a wonderful moment to an end. But they had to think of their friends.

"Sora, everyone's waiting for us. We have to go home." Riku was the only one who had seemed unconcerned about what had happened. Probably because he'd figured out Sora's plan, the sneak. Everyone else was feeling down, thinking they were never going to see Sora again.

"Let them," Sora said, his voice uncharacteristically gruff and the look in his eyes making her heart flutter. "Let them wait. They'll see us again soon enough."

"Sora!" Kairi playfully swatted at the hands that were trying to make their way back around her waist. "Is that any way to talk about our friends?" she scolded, even as a part of her was thrilled at the thought that Sora wanted her all to himself.

"I warned you I'd be selfish, didn't I?" he said, his hands returning to his sides even as his eyes begged for more. "Just a little longer, Kairi. _Please._ "

He used his stupid puppy dog eyes on her, and that combined with the needy tone of his voice did her in.

Well, it wasn't like she _minded._ One more kiss couldn't hurt. Leaning in close, she whispered in his ear, enjoying his sharp intake of breath as she did. "Well, go on then, kiss me," she murmured, infusing her voice with a sultry tone she'd never used on him (or anyone, for that matter) before. Then she followed it up with the best doe eyes she could muster.

 _Bet you weren't expecting that._ She smirked, and that was the last straw.

Afterwards, Kairi could safely say that was their best kiss yet. Something about her teasing had brought out a side of Sora she'd only glimpsed before, and she was very determined now to get it to come out more often. It was like a secret he shared only with her, and she wanted to know more of it.

"There," she said. "Hope that's enough to tide you over until—"

He grinned and shook his head, and she had to clamp a hand over his mouth.

"Stop, silly. We really do need to go back. The others are going to wonder what happened to us."

This backfired, as he simply caught her hand and kissed it instead. He looked up afterwards, the cheekiest grin on his face.

"Gimme a break, Kairi. I'm trying to make up for lost time. And after that, I have to make up for a whole bunch of future interruptions."

He planted a quick kiss on her cheek, and she jokingly protested before tilting her chin and inviting him to continue. His lips felt good on her skin, soft and warm as they traced a path down her face and neck.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do this," he murmured, his lips brushing the spot above her collarbone and sending shivers down her spine.

She took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to get her voice to sound nonchalant. "Hmmmm… since our reunion at Merlin's house?"

He straightened and kissed her forehead. "Nope. Before that. Though I would have then, if it weren't for Donald."

She laughed at the disgruntled tone of his voice. "Since our reunion back home?"

He kissed her cheek. "Close. I wanted to kiss you then, too, but that wasn't the first time."

"Hollow Bastion?"

She was rewarded with a full, lingering kiss on the lips. So that was when he'd realized. She'd always wondered, and now she had her answer. This game was fun. It was like their usual teasing, but taken to a whole new level.

He smiled afterwards. "Yeah. I was too shy to do anything about it though."

"We both were."

"Well—" he said, his arms going back around her waist, "it's a good thing we aren't anymore, right?"

She giggled, very much in agreement with him. This was new ground for them both, and she was very glad they were exploring it together. Her gaze landed on his discarded crown on the floor, and a mischievous idea flitted into her head and took root. She went to pick it up, and Sora got down on one knee and bowed his head so she could place it on his hair.

"Sir Sora, you've been upgraded from knighthood to royalty. I'm going to start calling you Your Majesty now."

She grinned as his face flushed and the tiles and walls turned pink, then grabbed his hand and drug him back up to the throne. Forcing him to sit down, she sprawled across his lap and draped her legs over the armrest. She surveyed their surroundings, giving them a satisfied nod. The walls had gone from pink to bright red. She didn't really need the castle to tell her how he was feeling, but it was still entertaining having his reactions to everything she did on full display.

"The throne and palace are nice," she said, "but that is one dorky crown." She giggled and poked it. "It doesn't even cover your entire head."

"Hey now," he said, his voice mock serious. "I'll have you know you're insulting a king."

"And I'm a princess."

He raised an eyebrow. "But you could be a queen."

The heat rose in her cheeks, and his smile turned downright roguish as she scrambled to sit up.

"Sora, we're only sixteen!"

His expression softened. "I know. But I can dream, can't I?"

She gulped. "Yes, but—"

He swept a strand of hair out of her face. "Kairi, I love you."

Her breath hitched. His declaration was so simple, so sincere and heartfelt. Her moment had finally come. She cupped his cheek and took a deep breath.

"I love you too, Sora."

She put all of her heart into the words, making sure each one was spoken with as much depth of feeling and tenderness as she could muster. He let out a soft cry as he pulled her into his embrace. His arms were wrapped so tightly around her that she could barely breathe, and it still wasn't enough.

When they finally let go of each other, tears were shimmering in his eyes again. Without a word, he brought his lips to hers one last time. He was gentle and tender, each movement of his mouth against hers slow and deliberate. It was a sharp contrast to his eager and playful kisses from before. She melted in his embrace, responding to him with equal passion.

Then her mind was filled with memory after memory of her, each one accompanied by a powerful wave of emotion, and the affection in her heart swelled till it overflowed. She recalled memories of him and the feelings that came with them and sent them back. His heart reacted, and they were both so overwhelmed they had to stop.

She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She was ready. His arms went around her, and then they were falling, no, flying, into the realm of light as the castle faded around them after one last brilliant explosion of light and color. Or perhaps they were the ones who were fading away from this place. She held onto him for dear life, treasuring the sound of his laughter and the warmth of his embrace so that the memory would last long after the moment had ended.

When their heads popped above the waves of Destiny Islands, their friends were all waiting on shore.

It was so good to be home.

* * *

A/N: There it is, the long-awaited kissing chapter. Not gonna lie, this is one of my favorites in the story, if not my favorite. The idea of Sora giving up the power of Kingdom Hearts to be with Kairi has been in my head for around two years, and I wrote the first version of it over a year ago, so to finally be able to share it with you all is an awesome feeling. It just strikes me as something that's very Sora-esque, to borrow Riku's description. I knew I had to write it because the idea just stayed with me after all this time and wouldn't leave until I did something with it.

This is technically the final chapter of the story, and what follows is three chapters worth of epilogue material. Those chapters are all written, but they were finished recently and need a little more polishing/editing. Ideally I will post them at the usual time, but if real life happens (and real life has kept me very busy lately), there could potentially be some two week gaps between chapters instead of the usual one week. I will do everything I can to get them out weekly as per normal, but I just wanted to give you all a heads up in case that does happen. Don't panic, I haven't abandoned the story and I'm certainly not going to now, not when we're so close to the end :)

Thank you for the reviews as always, and hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	38. Chapter 38 - Home

Chapter 38 – Home

"Nope, not like that, Chip." Max reached down and gave the cog another twist. "It has to be so tight it can't even budge, or it won't work."

Chip gave the cog another look, then put his tiny hands on it to get a feel for what he meant. "Gotcha." He wiggled out from underneath the Gummi Ship and gave Dale, who was currently in the cockpit, a thumbs up.

Dale returned the gesture, and soon the Gummi Ship was sputtering to life. He ran some diagnostic tests, and everything seemed good to go.

"What were ya doin' when you were gone, anyway?" Chip asked, wiping his hands on his little work apron. Max likewise wiped his forehead. Adding all these upgrades to the Gummi Ships had been hard work, but it would be worth it in the end. The worlds were changing, and he was gonna be ready for this new way of life Sora had created.

"Met a guy who was a captain. Name was Jim, Jim Hawkins." Max grinned at the memory of all their adventures together. "He taught me a lot about machines. And about flying."

Chip gave him a quizzical look. "Flying? But I thought you said he was a captain."

"I never said he sailed the seas, did I?"

Dale powered down the Gummi Ship, but the noise didn't stop. The sputtering of another Gummi Ship engine reached Max's ears as it docked.

King Mickey's Gummi Ship. And not just that. Inside was—

"Dad?"

"Maxie!" his dad crowed as he jumped out of the ship. "I'm finally home!"

Max couldn't even bring himself to be embarrassed by the use of his childhood nickname. He just ran the rest of the way to his dad and threw his arms around him.

"You haven't changed a bit, Dad." And he really hadn't. His hugs still felt the same as ever. The only thing that was different was his outfit.

"But you've changed a lot," Goofy said, leaning back to look at him. His eyes were misty, and he paused to sniff loudly and wipe his nose. "You've gotten so big. Gawrsh, son, you'll have to tell me all about your adventures."

"You first. Sounds like you've had a lot of them."

His dad shrugged and grinned. "What can I say? Sora's kept me on my toes."

Max raised his eyebrow. "More than I did?"

His dad laughed at that. "I don't know about that."

Max watched as Queen Minnie and Daisy arrived in the hangar. King Mickey didn't waste any time running to her side, and they bumped noses as Pluto bounded around them and barked happily.

Donald likewise went to Daisy, and she gave him a stern look.

"Donald!"

"Y-yes Daisy?" Donald asked, rubbing the back of his neck. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot for a moment.

 _Are they still fighting? Sheesh, you'd think by now they'd—_

Then she threw her arms around Donald, and all the tension in the air melted away.

"I was worried sick about you," she said. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too. It's good to see you again, Daisy." He leaned back and offered his hand, a big smile on his face. "Now how about that date?"

Looking at all the happy faces around him, Max couldn't help but smile.

Some things really didn't change after all.

* * *

The hall was silent, the tension in the air so thick Ven could practically feel it. He looked from Terra to Master Eraqus sitting on his throne, his insides wrapped up so tight he thought he was gonna explode.

"Terra," Master Eraqus finally said, and Terra straightened.

"Yes, Master?"

Another pause. Ven could have sworn the Master was doing this on purpose.

"Or should I say, _Master_ Terra." A big smile lit up his face. "Congratulations. You have shown the Mark of Mastery, and I bestow upon you the title of Keyblade Master and all the duties and responsibilities that come with it."

Ven cheered as Aqua threw her arms around Terra, and even Vanitas cracked a half smile that made crinkles form around his red eyes. He hadn't said much this whole time, but that was okay. He'd already packed his bag and Ven had packed his. They would be leaving in the morning for their new journey.

They'd talked it over and agreed. They wanted to find out more about their past. They wanted to honor the memory of their friends. They wanted to tell other people about what had really happened during the first Keyblade War.

They'd both been there for it, after all. They were the only ones left who could do this. It was important people knew about it so history wouldn't repeat itself.

"You did it!" Aqua cried as Terra spun her around. "Our dream finally came true!"

The late afternoon light poured through the still-broken stained glass window behind them, but that was okay. They could repair the castle. It would become a home again. The new Gummi Ship port had just been finished yesterday. They were almost done with all the other necessary stuff Sora's guidelines had outlined, too, and that meant they could open up the Land of Departure to visitors from other worlds soon.

"Master, if it's alright with you, I have a proposal to make," Terra said, carefully setting Aqua back down on the ground.

"You are now my equal, Terra. Speak freely."

"We never celebrated Aqua's Mark of Mastery. I ask that we do something about that."

"Terra—" Aqua said, putting her hand on his arm.

"It's only fair," he said, glancing her way to give her one of those affectionate looks he saved for her and only her. "Our dream finally came true, and you're just as much a part of it as I am."

"I approve of this idea," the Master said, his eyes twinkling. "In fact, I made some preparations already myself."

That was everyone's cue.

"Surprise!" their friends cried, emerging from their hiding spots around the hall. Donald and Goofy's hands were filled with balloons shaped like Mickey's head, and Mickey blew into a noisemaker so loudly Donald let go of his balloons to cover his ears. They floated towards the window, and Ven laughed and tried to grab a hold of one.

Roxas and Naminé banged on a couple of pots and pans that had definitely been stolen from the castle's kitchen, and Kairi and Xion threw flowers and confetti in the air as the Riku Replica snapped a photo of Terra and Aqua's surprised reactions.

Riku grinned and tossed Terra and Aqua extra party hats. "Congratulations, you guys!" he said, and they couldn't stop smiling as they put them on, the looks on their faces priceless.

Lea was next. He burst into the room pushing a giant cake that said _Congratulations Terra and Aqua!_ in bold red letters. Aqua's eyes about popped out of her head at the size of the thing. There was enough cake in it to feed a small army.

"Is that really for us?" she asked. She took a step towards it, only for it to rumble and shake. She yelped and jumped back into Terra's waiting arms, then they both burst out laughing as a very familiar face popped out.

"Congratulations!" Sora cried, sending chunks of cake flying everywhere. Some of it stuck to his hair and clothes as he carefully stepped over the remaining tiers. "Don't worry, there's a whole other cake on the way."

Terra and Aqua laughed again and hugged him, and soon the whole thing became another one of those group hugs everyone loved so much. As Ven got in on the action, he spotted Isa quietly wheel in the other cake out of the corner of his eye. Lea had probably convinced him to put on the party hat he was wearing now, but it was obvious he was uncomfortable about being here.

Thankfully the Master noticed. He went over to him and struck up a conversation, and Ven let himself relax. He was going to enjoy this brief reunion with his friends before they all went their separate ways.

That was the bittersweet part about happily ever after. Everyone was happy, but the ever after part was no guarantee they'd be together forever.

But that was what memories were for. That was what tonight was for.

Whatever tomorrow might bring, they still had, and always would have, today.

* * *

Kairi added more ice cream to the punch. There. That should do it. She set the ice cream scoop down and wiped her hands on a napkin.

"Kairi? Can I talk to you?" came a voice that made her tense on instinct. But Isa's eyes weren't yellow anymore and his ears weren't pointy; he was himself again, and Kairi had to admit that he had nice green eyes. They reminded her a lot of Lea's. But unlike how Lea had lost the teardrop shapes under his eyes after he'd become human again, the scar on Isa's face remained.

Well, some scars would last forever, Kairi supposed. She thought of the scar on Sora's chest and couldn't help but feel a little sad. Even simple activities like swimming or taking his shirt off on a hot summer's day would never be the same for him again. It served as a constant reminder of what had happened, both for him and for other people. His mom had nearly burst into tears when she'd first seen it. Kairi and Riku had gone over to his house for dinner after hanging out at the beach with him and had witnessed it all.

She would never forget the heaviness in his eyes as he'd comforted his mom and reassured her that he was okay. He didn't seem to mind the scar and was even proud of it, but any time it brought other people pain, he was quick to comfort them.

Including her. Her mind went back to after he'd rescued her, how he'd invited her to touch it as proof that he was okay. The soft sigh that escaped his lips as she did, like he couldn't get enough of her touch or her—

Oops. Isa was still staring at her. Her face flushed as she realized she'd never answered him. "Sure, what is it?" she asked, trying to put on a nonchalant air, but it was hard not to be nervous.

"I… I wanted to apologize for kidnapping you," he said, his eyes not quite able to meet hers.

At long last. Kairi had figured he'd wanted to, but she'd begun to wonder if he'd work up the courage to actually do it.

"What you did… really wasn't okay," she said, and he tensed. "But you get that, otherwise you wouldn't be apologizing to me." She took a deep breath. She could do this. She wanted to do this. "I forgive you, Isa. Now go and live your life in peace. Xehanort isn't here anymore to torment you, and you can make a better future for yourself."

Isa gave her a grateful look. He bowed his head and excused himself, and she glanced around to see who was nearby after helping herself to some punch. Her cheeks flushed as she spotted Sora a little ways away. He had one arm around Roxas's shoulder and the other around Naminé's, and the three of them were laughing so hard they were practically howling. But then he noticed her gaze, and he looked at her in a way that sent a jolt all the way from her head to her toes.

She sighed and wondered if now would be a good time to sneak off for a little while. Surely there was somewhere in this castle where they could take a few moments to themselves. She longed to feel his arms around her, his lips against hers, every inch of his body making it clear how much he wanted her as he shared his tender feelings directly with her heart. Just thinking about it made her insides turn to mush.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. He'd excused himself from his current conversation and was making his way over to her. His purposeful gait combined with the look in his eyes sent a thrill down her spine, and she set her cup of punch down on the table and tried to steady herself.

"You called, Princess?" he teased once he was close enough to be within earshot.

She giggled into her hand. "I was hoping you'd notice."

He found her hand, his grip strong and solid. "I know just the place." Then he whisked her away, and she smiled as she caught a glimpse of Terra and Aqua likewise sneaking off, hand in hand. She had a feeling she knew what was about to happen.

She hoped she was right. If anyone deserved a happily ever after, it was the two of them.

* * *

Terra led Aqua away from the castle and up the winding path. He knew just the place he wanted to take her.

"Where are we going?" Aqua asked, a little breathless. He was walking fast, but it was only because he couldn't wait any longer.

He was a Keyblade Master now, and that meant there was no reason to put this off any longer.

"It's a surprise." Saying anything more risked giving his plan away. He led her to the pool by the mountain where they'd spent so many happy summers swimming and playing together, and she stopped and released his hand.

"This is where we promised to become Keyblade Masters together," she said softly. Back before Ven had even arrived. Terra remembered it well, which was why he'd brought her back here.

"It is," he said, kneeling to grab the chipped cup of wildflowers he'd set out beforehand.

Well, they were more like weeds, but that was the whole point. His ten-year self hadn't really known the difference.

Aqua's reflection shimmered in the water of the pool as the evening breeze swept her hair across her face. The water lilies were in full bloom and the stars shone overhead, and really, things couldn't be more perfect. Good thing the weather had held out.

"This is for you," he said as he straightened and handed the wildflowers to her. "It's long overdue, but congratulations on your Mark of Mastery."

"Terra?" she asked, her hand shaking as she took them from him, but he just put his hand over hers and smiled.

"You remember, don't you?"

She studied the wildflowers for a moment, then looked up into his eyes, hers searching his. "Yes, of course. That was the first time I smiled after my parents died. Your kindness inspired me to keep on living. How could I ever forget about that?"

So she did remember. Terra was glad. He'd never forget the moment he saw her smile for the first time. It was like she was a completely different person.

"Hard to still believe we have the same cup after all this time, isn't it?" He gently took it from her and set it back on the ground. She would need her hands free for what he had planned next.

"Aqua," he said, taking both her hands in his, "ever since I met you, you've done nothing but bring me joy. All my happiest memories have been with you, and I can't imagine my life without you in it. You've been my friend, my companion, and now my lover. And as wonderful as that's been—" he paused, because the way she was blushing right now was downright adorable, "I want more."

Her eyes went wide, her lips parting as he got down on one knee. "Terra—"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little box tucked inside. Tears filled her eyes as he showed her the ring. It was simple but elegant, a silver band with a Wayfinder made of sapphires and diamonds mounted on it. A custom design that Snow White's friends had been more than happy to make for him.

He took a deep breath, a few tears of his own forming in his eyes. But they couldn't match the smile on his face as he asked her the question he had been practicing over and over and over in his head till he'd gotten it just right.

"Aqua, will you be my wife?"

She brought her hand to her mouth, a sob escaping her throat. She was so overwhelmed it took her a few moments to compose herself. But then she smiled through her tears and said the one word he'd been longing to hear.

"Yes."

He started crying as he slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly, much to his relief. She turned it this way and that so she could catch the moon's light with it. Then she brought him into her arms and hugged him tight, and he melted in her embrace.

He thought he'd been happy the night they'd confessed their feelings to each other. He thought he'd known joy the moment they'd kissed for the first time. But nothing compared to what he was feeling right now. Especially not when she kissed him. There was something special about this kiss that left all the other ones behind.

Maybe it was the thrill from being engaged. Maybe it was the promise of things to come. Or maybe it was because their dreams were finally coming true. Whatever it was, Terra knew he would never forget this moment.

When they'd had their fill of each – well, at least for now – they decided to go back to the party. They had to tell their friends the news. They had to share their joy with them.

But as they reached the courtyard, they saw the Master of all people exiting the great doors of the castle.

"Master Eraqus?" Terra said. He had a simple carpetbag in one hand and his Keyblade in the other. "Where are you going?"

The Master set his things down and smiled. "On a new journey. I figured it was about time some new blood took charge. The townspeople never forgave me, but they have no reason to dislike you. You're the heroes who helped Sora bring peace to the worlds. If you're wanting students, something tells me they'll be pounding on the doors for the chance to be trained by two legends like yourselves."

He glanced towards the castle town spreading out beneath them, along with the brand new Gummi Ship port. "I put the finishing touches on the preparations this evening. The Land of Departure is ready to be opened to visitors."

Terra and Aqua looked at each other, not fully believing the Master's words. He stepped towards them and put his hands on their shoulders.

"Terra, Aqua, I leave my title and this castle to you. May laughter fill these halls once more, and may you know happiness."

"But where will you go, Master Eraqus?" Aqua asked, a frown knitting her face as she clasped her hands together.

"Travel the worlds," he replied, picking up his carpetbag. "This is a time like no other. I would like to be a witness to it." He paused and smiled, a knowing look on his face. "But do send word about when the wedding will be. I wouldn't dream of missing it."

* * *

The last of their friends had finally gone home after the Mark of Mastery celebration party turned engagement celebration party had ended. It was just the two of them plus Ven and Vanitas.

But that was about to change, too. Because Ven and Vanitas had a journey of their own to go on. Aqua put a few more things into Ven's backpack, some emergency snacks and a bunch of camping supplies she'd shrunk and tucked inside a tiny tent.

"Now don't forget to eat three meals a day and get enough sleep and—"

"Yes, Mom," Ven said in unison with Vanitas, both of them rolling their eyes. She just had to laugh. Some things never changed.

She turned her attention to Vanitas's pack as she double checked to make sure he had his passport inside. The former days of unlimited travel by a select few were over; now traveling permits were required for everyone wanting to land on a different world.

"Vanitas, take care of Ven for me, won't you?"

"Sure. Someone needs to keep this loser in line," Vanitas said with that half-smile of his, his red eyes betraying his amusement.

"Hey, why am I the one getting babied again?" Ven said with a pout.

"Because you're the baby of the family," Terra said, ruffling his hair.

"I'll have you know I'm older than both you and Aqua," Ven muttered, and they all laughed at that.

But then Terra's expression became serious, and he lowered his voice. "Seriously though, be careful, you two. The worlds are changing, and as much as we hope Sora's hard-won peace holds out…"

"The human heart is one corrupt mess," Vanitas said. "Trust me, I know." A small Unversed hopped off of his hand and bounded off into the distance.

"Please tell me that's not going after anyone," Aqua said with a frown. They wanted people to come back to live in the castle town, not scare them away. Visitors from other worlds were sure to start arriving soon.

"Don't worry, Sora fixed whatever was wrong with me. The Unversed are harmless now, and they don't hurt me anymore if they get destroyed, either." He gave them a grim smile. "I tested to make sure."

Aqua wondered for a moment if Sora had done the right thing in giving up his power. Terra was right to be concerned. Would this peace he'd created really hold out?

Well, even the past golden ages had come to an end. She supposed this time would come to an end eventually, too. Might as well make the most of it while it lasted.

Besides, a part of her was relieved Sora hadn't become some lonely god, watching over all of them from up high, far removed from the people he loved even as he made sure they all stayed safe.

Such an existence would be downright miserable for him. Hellish, even. If it weren't for Kairi, he might have chosen it for himself. But she had reminded him of the joys of being ordinary, human. Of all the wonderful possibilities that came from being bound to the physical world as much as the invisible one.

Aqua glanced at the ring on her finger and thought of some of those possibilities.

"Earth to Aqua," Vanitas muttered. "You're daydreaming about the wedding again."

"Oops, sorry!" Aqua looked up at him and smiled apologetically. "I have one more thing to give you."

Taking a deep breath, she found Vanitas's hand. He flinched but didn't remove his from hers. Years of abuse were hard to undo, but he was determined to work through it.

The night he'd opened up to them about it had left the three of them in tears, and the Master had likewise been choked up. Vanitas hadn't understood why they'd all been so upset, and it was then that Aqua had realized how broken he was. He was like Ven, if Ven hadn't been raised by a family who loved him. A small, lost child who put on a tough facade just to survive. After Aqua had realized that, it had been a lot easier to be nice to him. Sure, she wouldn't forget what a brat he'd been to her and to Terra and to Ven, but at least she knew why now.

"Go with my blessing," she said, placing a new Wayfinder in his palm. It was made of black glass but otherwise was a perfect match for Ven's.

She'd never seen Vanitas come anywhere close to crying, but it was clear her gift had touched him. His expressions were more subtle than Ven's, but emotion flickered through his eyes all the same.

"I thought it was about time I made you one," she said. "It symbolizes an unbreakable connection."

"Thanks, Aqua," Vanitas said, and he squeezed her hand. A first for him. But she knew better than to make a big deal about it. So she just smiled instead.

Ven, being the touchy-feely hugger that he was, threw his arms around her in a lavish display of affection after that. A classic Ven hug.

"We'll be back before you know it," he promised.

"I hope so. I'd hate for you to miss the wedding."

"We won't. It's important that people know about what happened during the First Keyblade War, but family comes first."

Terra smiled at that. "Right."

It was bittersweet as she and Terra watched the two of them don their Keyblade armor and open a portal to another world. They wouldn't be gone forever, but it still felt a little bit like loss. Letting go. Opening a new chapter in their lives, even as this one closed.

She rested her head on Terra's shoulder and sighed as they looked out over their new domain after the portal closed. The sun shone bright over it, and the once-abandoned castle town below them would, if all went well, not be abandoned any longer. They knew just what to name it, too. Junia, in honor of the woman who had done so much for this land and its people. Master Eraqus had opened up to them about her life and death at long last, and the two of them couldn't think of a better way to honor her legacy.

"Just think. We have the whole castle to ourselves," Aqua said, finding his hand and holding it tight. The ring on her finger brushed up against his skin and reminded her of the promise they'd made to one another, the promise to build a new life together.

"Not for long. Soon the halls will be filled with students again," Terra said. "Our students."

"Yes, but until then—" Aqua wiggled her eyebrows, and Terra grinned and gave her a kiss.

Until then, they had all the time in the world to themselves.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed Part 1 of 3 of the epilogue! There are still two more parts to go. Crazy that we're getting to the final chapters now, but it is happening! Thanks to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way!


	39. Chapter 39 - Sunset

Chapter 39 – Sunset

Roxas took a big bite out of his ice cream and sighed in contentment. Sitting up here on the clock tower again with his two best friends, knowing they were safe and whole, their futures stretching out before them in limitless possibilities—

He couldn't think of a better way to spend the day. The three of them didn't say anything because they didn't have to say anything. Just being around each other was good enough.

Axel took one last bite of his ice cream and slurped it down in contentment. "Hey, would you look at that," he said, showing his stick to Xion and Roxas. _WINNER_ was written on it in bold capital letters.

"Mine too," Xion said and smiled. Roxas finished his ice cream and sure enough, his said _WINNER_ as well.

Axel chuckled and held all three up to the twilight sky. "What are the odds?"

"I used to think we had the worst luck in the world, but now I'm not so sure," Xion said. "Now I think we're the lucky ones."

Roxas smiled. "Yeah." Looking at Axel and Xion, at the people who had helped him grow a heart—

He was feeling pretty lucky right now.

They lingered on the clock tower for a while like that, just like old times. And afterwards, they went to claim their prize, to finally see what this winner business was all about. The ice cream man took their sticks from them, his eyes going wide and his bushy eyebrows about shooting into his hairline.

"You're all winners, huh?" He looked at their grinning faces and smiled. "Well, I'll be darned. Congratulations, you three. Hold on a minute, let me get you your prizes." As he disappeared into the back storage room, he muttered, "Figured it would happen someday, you're my best customers."

When he reemerged, he told them to hold out their hands and close their eyes. Roxas felt something press into his palm, and when he opened his eyes, a sea-salt ice cream charm was in his hand. He glanced at Axel and Xion, and they had matching charms in their hands, too.

"They're perfect!" Xion cried. "Just the right size to attach to our Keyblades."

They thanked the ice cream man and strode to the edges of the Tram Common. There were people from all different worlds wandering around, checking out the stalls and riding the tram and taking pictures of the charming scenery. Twilight Town had been one of the first worlds to open up to visitors, and the locals were making the most of the boom in business.

"Kida, quick, come here!" said a very excited-looking guy with a crooked pair of glasses perched on his nose. A young woman with white hair and blue eyes joined him, and there was a necklace with a strange blue glow around her neck.

"What is it, Milo?"

"You have to try this!" He handed her a bar of sea-salt ice cream. "It's salty and sweet at the same time!"

As Roxas watched the happy couple discover how awesome sea-salt ice cream was, he couldn't help but think, _This is what we fought for. This is the peace we've finally won._

When they were in an area clear of other people, Xion summoned her Keyblade and attached her charm to it, and her blade transformed. It turned light blue, and the hilt was gold with the ice cream charm hanging off it. The purple asters weren't purple anymore; they'd changed colors to match the sorts of flowers Roxas had seen on Twilight Town before.

Roxas and Axel likewise changed out the keychains on their Keyblades, and their Keyblades transformed, too. They all had matching sea-salt ice cream Keyblades, and Roxas couldn't help but smile.

"We're keeping these on for a long time, got it?"

Axel nodded. "Until we see each other again."

Roxas looked from Xion to Axel. "What do you mean, until we see each other again?"

Axel just smiled sadly, and Roxas's heart sank.

"You're not staying with us?" he asked, his head drooping. He'd just gotten Axel back. He didn't want to lose him again.

Axel let his Keyblade disappear and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, turn that frown upside down. I'll be back, I just want to go to my other home for a while." He lowered his voice. "Isa needs someone to help him figure out his life, and that someone has to be me, got it memorized? He insisted on being tried for his crimes, and he needs someone there to vouch for him because he sure isn't gonna do it. Plus, they need people to testify at Xigbar, Xaldin, Luxord, and Vexen's – I mean, Braig, Dilan, Lourd, and Even's – cases, too."

"Yeah, yeah." Roxas had heard they were all going on trial on Radiant Garden for the things they'd done under Xehanort's control. Even Even. He'd probably get a lighter sentence, since he'd sort of turned sides and could use his research to help people, but the others probably wouldn't be so lucky.

Still, Ansem the Wise had been reinstated as Radiant Garden's ruler, and his decision to give them all a fair trial was a lot more merciful than some of the alternatives could have been.

Roxas turned to Xion. "What about you, Xion? What will you do?"

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. It had gotten longer over the past few months – almost as long as Kairi's.

"Well, actually… I've got a journey of my own to go on, too." She smiled sadly. "Sorry I didn't say anything till now. I didn't want our time together to be sad."

Roxas sighed and kicked the pavement under his shoes. "Sheesh, you guys, why didn't you tell me?"

"We'll be back," Xion promised, putting her hand over his. "Roxas, this is something I need to do," she added softly, and he understood. When Axel had cast them away to spare them from becoming pieces of the χ-Blade, they'd had time to talk about a lot of things. And he knew what she needed right now was time and space away from him to move on completely and heal.

"It's hard to do that when I see you all the time," had been her exact words, and he'd understood, even while it kinda hurt, knowing he was hurting her.

Still, saying goodbye wasn't easy. Roxas had lost them both too many times for goodbyes to be anything but painful. But the new Gummi Ship port on the world and the passports tucked into their pockets would make it easier to see them again, at least. For that he was grateful.

"Promise me, you two – promise me you'll keep the sea-salt ice cream charms on your Keyblades till we see each other again," he said.

"It's a promise."

At least they could be with him in spirit for the times they were physically apart. It was with that thought he went to go find Naminé. Even while he was sad to say goodbye to Axel and Xion, his heart still sped up at the thought of seeing her.

Because they didn't have to depend on Sora and Kairi anymore. They could be together every day, just like they'd promised.

* * *

Naminé smiled and offered Iggy another earthworm. He was big enough to perch on her shoulder now, which was what he was doing right now. His tail feathers were a brilliant red and gold, and he was turning out to be a very handsome bird, really.

"There, what do you think?" she asked, showing him what she'd been working on for the past several hours. A drawing of him in all his fiery splendor.

He chirped appreciatively, bending his beak down to peck at the drawing's face.

"That's right, that's you," she said, scratching his head. "You'll be all grown up before you know it."

Problem was, Twilight Town was surrounded by forests, and that was not a good home for a creature that could spit fire at will. Especially not with all the new visitors roaming around.

Which was why she was grateful the Riku Replica had agreed to find him a new home. She continued to stroke his feathers as he squawked in contentment, unaware of their impending separation.

"I'll come visit you, I promise." She gave his fluffy head a kiss, and he froze and turned to look at her. The squawk he made this time sounded suspiciously like her name.

"I know, I know, it's all rather sudden. But you'll be happier somewhere you can really fly."

He cocked his head and chirped, then spread his wings. One of them brushed against her cheek, and she giggled.

"Just like that." She offered her hand, and he stepped onto it, his beautiful talons a warm gold in the afternoon light. "Riku, hold out your hand," she instructed.

The Riku Replica coughed and swallowed, but did as she asked. Iggy looked from Naminé to him and remained firmly on her hand.

"It's okay, you can trust him," she promised. She moved her hand closer to the Riku Replica's, and Iggy tentatively reached his foot out towards him. "There, that's it," she said, and he hopped onto his hand.

The Riku Replica's eyes went wide with wonder as he watched Iggy adjust himself. "He's a lot lighter than I was expecting."

Iggy squawked and puffed out his chest feathers, which made Naminé giggle and the Riku Replica crack a smile.

"He's quite vain, too," she said, trying to stifle her giggles. "Better watch out for that."

Iggy walked up the Riku Replica's arm and settled on his shoulder, pecking at his hair as he tried to deal with the fact that someone had a hair color he wasn't used to seeing.

"Naminé," the Riku Replica began, "I know all those memories you gave me were fake, but… I just wanted to say… they felt real to me." He scratched Iggy's head and smiled sadly.

"I know. They felt real because… because I wanted them to be real."

"Just not with me."

Naminé chewed her lip. There was nothing she could really say to that. At the time she'd thought she'd known what love was. She'd thought she'd loved Sora. But now she knew better. She'd wanted Sora to end her loneliness. She'd wanted to make Sora love her so that she would feel worthy of love. And love like that was not truly love at all.

The memories she'd planted in the Riku Replica's head, to make him care about her – how were those any different? And yet, she knew they were, somehow. They must have been the key to triggering the development of his heart.

"I don't blame you," he said softly. "Fake or not, those memories are precious to me."

"Then… I hope you make new ones. Real ones based on real love."

Because Naminé understood what love was now. Love had sacrificed itself to save Kairi. Love had plunged itself into the darkness to spare Terra a terrible fate. Love had shattered its own heart to keep the worlds safe. Love had healed Sora's heart and Ventus's heart and given her and Roxas and Xion new bodies. Love had taken on the darkness to set Terra free. Love had let itself disappear and be forgotten so that Roxas and Kairi could be remembered. Love had let itself die so that its friends could live, then had come back to rescue those same friends from their imprisonment and raise them into glory.

Love was selfless and giving, and it never, ever forgot the people it had given everything for. Naminé knew she could tell the Riku Replica all that she knew about it now, but that wouldn't be the same. This was all the sort of thing he would have to discover himself if it were to mean anything at all.

But she knew he would. He wouldn't be alone anymore, and that was the first step to figuring all of this out.

As she wandered to the hole in the wall where she'd agreed to meet Roxas, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, the dappled sunlight shining through the trees warm on her shoulders.

 _Kairi?_

There was a pause, then her Other's voice came into her head. _Hey, Naminé_. _What's up?_

 _Thank you, for everything._

 _Of course,_ came Kairi's voice, soft and gentle.

 _Will you tell Sora that for me as well?_

 _You can tell me yourself, you know,_ came Sora's familiar voice. Naminé giggled into her hand. She half wondered if she'd been interrupting something. Probably so. She was too polite to look most of the time, but a quick glimpse earlier had told her the chains binding Sora and Kairi together had taken on a new dimension after they'd come back from the castle.

 _Probably has something to do with all that kissing,_ she thought with another giggle.

She could practically picture Sora raising his eyebrow. _What's so funny?_

 _My connection to Kairi and Roxas's connection to you… Let's just say… we can still, er, feel hints of the things you guys are feeling. Not all the time, just every now and then._

 _Oh, geez, sorry about that,_ Sora muttered, and Kairi was the one giggling this time. _I cut off the direct heart connections between me and everyone else so you guys wouldn't have my feelings bleeding into you all the time. Guess I missed a spot check or something._ He sighed. _Either that or we reactivated the connection again somehow. Maybe it was bound to happen by keeping that part of your powers intact._

Naminé giggled into her hand. _It's okay, really._ She didn't mind still being connected to Kairi. The important thing was that she could live a normal life now, free from all the people who would have been after her for her memory-altering powers. While she could still see the chains and memories binding everyone's hearts to Sora's, she could no longer take them apart, just put scattered ones back together.

Would she miss the ability to rewrite memories? Perhaps, but she was finally on equal standing with all of her friends. They no longer had to wonder if she was manipulating their memories. And she no longer had to deal with the temptation. All she could do now was restore lost memories, and she wanted to use that power for good, to help and heal those who had lost something precious.

And Roxas… well, when she'd asked Sora to take her memory-altering powers away, Roxas had told her his feelings for her wouldn't change. Her face flushed as she thought of the way he'd reaffirmed his absolute trust in her, no matter what decision she made. Sora had given them both a look that was downright proud after that.

 _Anyway, I wanted to say… thank you, Sora. Thank you, Kairi. Thank you for everything. And thank you for showing me what it means to have a heart._

As she caught a glimpse of Roxas waiting for her on the other side of the wall, that heart thudded in her chest, wonderful and real and very human.

And now she could give it to him, fully and completely. It was with that thought she took his hand and they went to do something they'd been meaning to for a long time now.

* * *

Naminé smiled as her friends splashed each other in the shallow surf. She was watching them from her towel, the umbrella and sunglasses and sunblock providing her shelter from the warm sun.

Seeing them goof around together was nice. The boys had even spent a few minutes comparing their bodies once the t-shirts had come off, having some ridiculous competition about things like muscle size and number of scars. Olette had giggled and rolled her eyes before going off to search for seashells and flowers instead.

"Come on in, Naminé, the water's fine!" Hayner called to her, interrupting her reverie.

She chewed her lip. "I've never gone swimming before."

"Neither has Roxas, but we can teach you guys," Hayner said.

"Who knows, you might have to fight underwater someday. Or fight an enemy that uses water magic," Pence added. He grabbed his water gun and shot Hayner in the face with it, only to get tackled by Hayner and dragged underwater.

Point taken.

"Besides," Olette pointed out, bouncing the beach ball from one hand to the other, "I need another girl on the team. The boys outnumber me, and we can't play keep away without you."

"C'mon, Naminé," Roxas said. Naminé's stomach lurched at the way he said her name. He held his hand out to her, and she relented.

"Okay, hold on." She stood and went to the water's edge, dipping her bare toes in the surf before jerking them back. "It's cold!"

"You have to let your body adjust, little by little," Pence explained. "Slowly walk into the water until you're at about waist level, and we'll go from there."

Naminé did as he instructed. Their friends spent the next few hours teaching her and Roxas how to swim, and by the end of it Naminé was fairly certain she wouldn't drown the next time she was thrown into a body of water, despite the copious amounts of salt water she'd accidentally downed.

Then the Twilight Town gang had to head home for dinner. Naminé was left with Roxas, and the timing seemed just a little too perfect.

"Thank you for today, Naminé," he said, spreading his purple and white striped towel next to hers. He kicked off his sandals and sat down on it. Salt water glistened on his arms and chest, the late afternoon sun reflecting off it.

"Of course." Naminé rubbed more lotion on her arms and legs. She would not let her first time at the beach end in a miserable sunburn. "Want any more?" she asked, offering him the small pink bottle.

"Sure. But I can't really reach my back."

"Oh, um, I can do it." He turned around, and slowly, hesitatingly, she rubbed the cold cream into his back.

 _This is no big deal. I'm just helping him put sunscreen on._

But her cheeks burned all the same. It felt nice, to touch his bare skin, to feel where the knots and muscles were underneath it.

"You're really tense," she remarked, then shifted her weight to get into a better position. "Here, let me help." She massaged his shoulders, enjoying how the knots loosened under her touch. He sighed, and a thrilling sensation tingled down her spine.

When she was finished, he offered to do the same for her. But her skin was so sensitive to his touch that he could barely smear enough of the sunblock on her back to form an even layer. She giggled and flinched and twisted as he tried, and in the end the whole thing devolved into a tickle fight, which she was losing, and badly.

"Roxas, stop." She laughed and tried to pry his tickling fingers off her. He found a spot on her hip that was especially ticklish, and she kicked like crazy to try to get him to leave it alone.

Her legs got entangled with his, and they tumbled onto the sand, side by side. Her heart pounded in her chest as he brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face.

"Naminé," he breathed, his tone stirring up something deep within her.

The last rays of sunlight were sinking below the horizon, and the waves lapped against the shore, steady and even as a heartbeat. His hot breath tickled her cheek, and his skin smelled like saltwater. He brought her closer, closer, till she could taste the salt on his lips and feel the grains of sand in his hair. She lost herself in him, in the flood of sensations overwhelming her. All breathtaking, all wonderful, her body responding to his in ways she never would have dreamed were even possible before he'd entered her life.

When they finally broke apart, she felt an aching sense of loss, even though his arms were wrapped around her, his legs still entangled with hers.

She wondered what it would take to make the feeling go away. Now that the worlds were safe from Xehanort, at long last they could venture down that path together, one step at a time.

Catching his lips with hers again, she began their journey.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed Part 2 of the epilogue. Next week will be the final chapter, surreal as it may seem!


	40. Chapter 40 - Sunrise

Chapter 40 – Sunrise

"Would you look at that. The world really does have an end."

Riku shoved against the invisible barrier surrounding the world with his oar, and the raft skittered backwards. Then the waves brought it bumping against the barrier again, which briefly flashed in shimmering blocks of light.

Just like that, their childhood dream was crushed. Good thing they'd found another way to visit other worlds.

"Guess we wouldn't have left without the Heartless attacking," Sora said, setting down his oar and reaching for their supplies. He found his water bottle and chugged a bunch of water before resting his head on Kairi's lap and sighing like he didn't have a care in the world.

When he looked at her, that far-off look he sometimes got in his eyes went away. For a moment Riku forgot what he'd become.

Which was what he wanted. A private moment together earlier had confirmed that. And really, there was nothing about him now that indicated his earlier power, nothing to remind them of his majesty or glory except the scar on his chest.

He was Sora again. Their friend. Human. And yet—

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Kairi asked, an amused grin on her face as she ran her fingers through his sweaty hair. She had adjusted quickly to Sora's return to humanity, settling back into her old habit of teasing him with ease.

All the touching though, well, that was new. Sora didn't seem to mind though, not at all. The only time Riku had seen him this happy before was when he'd gotten a message from Santa letting him know he was off the naughty list.

Sora opened one eye and looked up at her. "Napping."

"Uh-uh. It's still my turn to take a break." She grabbed his head and playfully shoved it off her lap. "Get back to work, lazy bum."

"Bet you're wishing you still had some of that divine power to smite us with right about now, huh?" Riku said with a grin. He was happy to back Kairi up. No way was he going to paddle this thing by himself. He grabbed the oar and stuck it in Sora's face, and Sora glared at it like it had personally offended him before he finally gave in and took it. Just not without giving Riku a classic Sora pout first.

"Yeah, well, it'd be nice if I didn't have to paddle this thing myself," he muttered, and Riku just laughed and shook his head.

 _Kairi's right. Even after all this time, he's still a lazy bum._

 _But after everything he's been through… he deserves to let loose a little._

"Well, Captain Sora, better get to it!" Kairi teased, and that did the trick. Sora's face lit up.

He cleared his throat and cupped one hand around his mouth. "Full speed ahead, Riku!" Then he tossed his oar back on the raft and summoned his Keyblade with one of his smiles that meant he was up to something.

"Brace yourselves!" he called. Riku and Kairi barely had time to grab onto the mast before the blast from an Aero spell sent them hurtling back towards Destiny Islands. Sora's laughter carried over the wind and the sea-salt spray whipped through Kairi's hair, and Riku couldn't help but smile.

He didn't want this moment to end. He didn't want _them_ to end. But their friendship had changed. Their dynamic had changed. He knew it would, once Sora and Kairi started dating, and yet—

There was still a part of all this that was kind of sad. Their childhood had ended the moment the Heartless had arrived, and yet he found himself longing for those younger, more innocent days.

They would be friends the rest of their lives, of that he was sure, but what their friendship would look like, how it would change from year to year— that was bound to be different. Not good, not bad, just different.

And right now that meant he had to say goodbye. Maybe they thought he should stick around, but he'd caught them giving each other enough longing glances and noticed they'd slipped off enough times to be alone together to know.

They needed time to themselves.

He broke the news to them as they were securing the raft and unloading it, but their forlorn faces almost made him rethink his decision.

"You guys have a journey you need to go on together first. Don't worry, we'll see each other again soon. This is just so you have time to figure out all this dating stuff."

"Is that why you're leaving?" Kairi asked as she set the bottles of water down on the sand.

"Riku, we don't want you to feel like you have to go," Sora said, tying the last knot to secure the raft to the dock. "If you want us to tone down the couple stuff when you're around, we can."

Riku just shook his head. "That's not it at all. I don't want you to tone down the couple stuff, I want you to enjoy it. After everything we've been through, you deserve it. And besides, I have a journey of my own I want to go on."

Sora raised his eyebrow. "You do, huh? Who with?"

"Riku!" came a familiar voice. Riku smiled. His traveling companion had arrived at just the right time. Ignoring the looks Sora and Kairi were giving him, he went over to her to make sure she had everything she would need.

He had to admit, she looked pretty cute, the way her dark hair poked out from beneath the baseball cap perched on her head. The t-shirt and shorts she was wearing were good for traveling, too.

"Where's the other Riku?" he asked, tightening the straps on her navy blue backpack. The three of them were supposed to meet up here.

"He wanted to talk to Naminé first," Xion said. "He asked us to meet him in Twilight Town instead."

"So," Sora said, strolling up to the two of them, hands behind his neck. "It's just you and Riku going on a brand new adventure, huh?"

Riku shot him a glare. He knew that look. Sora was all innocent blue eyes, but that didn't stop Riku from rolling his.

"Well, me and Riku and… the other Riku." Xion giggled. "So yes, in a way I guess it is just me and Riku."

"We really should help him come up with a new name," Kairi said, offering Xion some of their leftover supplies. "You know, to help distinguish him from you, Riku."

Riku stuck his spare water bottle in his bag. "That would make things easier."

"What sort of journey are you going on, anyway?" Sora asked.

He just wasn't going to let this go, was he?

 _I guess I have it coming, after how much I teased him about Kairi._

"We want to find people like us," Xion said. "All the people who feel like they don't have a place in the worlds, whether they're former Nobodies or Replicas or social outcasts or loners."

Something flickered through Sora's eyes, but he was quick to mask it. Riku recognized the look in them though. The reminder that there were still people out there who were hurting was enough to make him hurt, too.

"Sora, don't beat yourself up about it," Riku said. "It's the whole reason we're going on this journey. We want to help because we understand what they've been through. You went above and beyond when you restored the worlds, and you've earned a vacation for the rest of your life, if that's what you want." He put his hand on Sora's shoulder. "Now trust us to carry out your legacy."

Sora sighed. "Right."

The last thing Riku wanted was for Sora to get sucked back into running everything. A life of politics didn't suit him at all. Even pouring himself into other people was pushing it at this point. He needed time to rest and recover and heal first.

He needed people to pour into _him_ for once.

Because Xehanort might be gone, but Sora's scars remained. Both the visible and the invisible ones. And Riku couldn't think of a better way for Sora to heal than to just have fun. To spend his days with the one person he couldn't live without as they visited the worlds he'd sacrificed everything to save.

Kairi put her hand on Sora's arm. "You couldn't have fixed everything that's wrong with the worlds, you know. Not unless you changed people's hearts."

"I thought about doing that," Sora said softly. "It's like I told you before, Kairi. All that power was going to my head. It was corrupting me, making me want things I shouldn't want, making me want to change things I have no business changing. I couldn't… I couldn't hold onto that power. I would've become worse than Xehanort if I'd kept it."

Kairi stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "And it's because you realize that that Kingdom Hearts chose you."

"And it's also why you're going to take a very long vacation before you even think about helping again," Riku said, just to really drive the point home. "Let other people help you for once."

Sora looked to Xion. "What do you say, Xion? Think he's right?"

Xion tapped her cheek. "Hmmm, let's see… I say… you're not allowed to go on any world-saving missions for a year."

"Agreed," Kairi and Riku said in unison.

Sora pouted. "A whole year? Man, what am I even gonna do? I'll be seventeen before I can do anything interesting again."

Kairi raised her eyebrow. "Spending time with me isn't interesting?"

"Of course it's interesting," Sora said quickly, a heartfelt smile lighting up his face. "How could it not be?" His arm went around her waist as he pulled her close. "I could spend a thousand lifetimes with you and never get bored."

She giggled, her cheeks pink, and Riku couldn't help but smile. Yeah, Sora was going to be just fine. Spending time with Kairi would help him recover like nothing else. Help him remember what life was like before fate had swept him up in its unrelenting waves.

Well, they couldn't put this off forever. The other Riku was waiting for them. Still, saying goodbye was a lot harder than Riku had thought. He knew he'd see Sora and Kairi again soon, and yet…

A part of him wanted to stay with them forever.

Kairi pulled some shells from her pouch and handed two to him and one to Xion. "They're Thalassa shells I collected earlier. They're meant to bring you back here, safe and sound. So don't you dare lose them. I'll be expecting these back the next time I see you." She closed Riku's hand over his shells. "The spare's for the other Riku, okay?"

"Got it."

"Thank you, Kairi," Xion said, tucking her shell into her bag. Riku gave her and Sora a hug, and Xion followed suit.

"Stay out of trouble, you two," Riku said. "See you soon."

And with that, it was time to begin his new journey. With Xion by his side, they left to go find his other self. The one who had inspired him to go on this journey in the first place. All those who were lost, lonely, without a purpose. No longer. Riku pictured Sora's face as he'd smiled and wiped the tears from his eyes.

" _See? You weren't alone. You were never alone."_

If there was any part of Sora's legacy Riku wanted to carry on, it was that.

And as if to make good on that legacy, Xion reached for his hand, then hesitated right before their fingers could touch. So he met her the rest of the way, catching her hand in his. Her fingers were rough from training and battle, and yet they still managed to feel soft and smooth in his grip. There was a small bump from an old training scar on her palm, and the way the warmth from her hand spread up his arm—

That was all her. That was all Xion.

And it was a reminder that even in his darkest moments, he was never truly alone.

* * *

Kairi took a big bite out of her piece of apple pie. The warm apple combined with the cinnamon and ice cream was as delicious as she remembered, and she sat back in her chair and sighed in contentment.

What better way to spend a lazy afternoon than with her grandmother? The only thing that would make this better was if Sora was here, too. But he was talking to the Restoration Committee about some things and hadn't arrived yet.

"You know, Kairi, I think this is the best pie we've made together yet," her grandma remarked, patting her mouth with her napkin.

"Maybe it's the apples." She'd picked them up from the market this morning, and they were some of the ripest, most delicious looking apples she'd ever seen. They proved to taste just as good as they looked, too – crispy and sweet with just a hint of a tangy kick.

Her grandma shook her head and smiled. "It's not the apples, dear. It's all about the magic touch."

Kairi set her fork down. "The magic touch? What's that?"

"The heart behind the cooking is just as important as the methods you use. Even the most delicious recipe can taste terrible if it's made with coldness or hatred. And even the worst recipe can taste good if the one who made it really cares about you."

She shared a story about the time Kairi's grandfather had tried to make her cookies. It had ended disastrously, but it was the attempt that counted, and in the end they'd eaten the leftover cookie dough together and had had a good laugh about it.

"Find someone you can laugh with, and you'll lead a happy life," her grandma finished the story with.

"Yeah." Sora's laughter as he'd held her during their return to Destiny Islands echoed through her mind, and she couldn't help but smile.

Her grandma put her hand over Kairi's and gave her a knowing look. "Is there someone on your mind, dear?"

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. She excused herself from the table and raced to it, throwing it open and launching herself into Sora's arms.

He laughed as he caught her, the sound like music to her ears. His scent was as wonderful as ever, the same saltwater and sun mixed with his natural musk.

"Did you miss me?" he teased as she took a deep breath and sighed happily. She found his hand and looked up into his eyes. There was something older and wiser in them now, but he was still her Sora, just like he'd promised.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Ready."

She led him through the house to where her grandma was waiting. He squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back.

 _Nervous?_

 _A little. I just… I really want her to like me._

 _Don't worry. She will._

They went through the door of the dining room together, and her grandma was sitting there waiting for them, a freshly cut piece of apple pie set aside with a big dollop of ice cream on top.

Kairi cleared her throat and put her free hand on Sora's arm. "Grandma, this is Sora."

Sora bowed his head. "Nice to meet you, ma'am." His voice was higher than normal, but he managed a small smile all the same.

Her grandma looked up. Tears shimmered in her eyes and she wore a radiant smile. She reached for Sora's face, and he knelt so she could touch his cheek. His smile melted into something more sincere, more heartfelt as he put his hand over hers.

"So you're the one who's been my Kairi's light all this time," her grandma said. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you, Sora."

"The pleasure is mine, ma'am. Kairi talks about you a lot. All those stories you told her when she was a kid, about the light. When I was having a hard time, they cheered me up, too."

Her grandma gestured for them to sit down. "I'm glad to hear that. The light is always deeper than the darkness, and my Kairi's light is the brightest of them all."

"Yeah," Sora said as he settled in one of the chairs and Kairi took the one next to him. He found her hand and held it under the table, and she gave it another gentle squeeze.

"And do you know why that is?" her grandma continued. "It's true that she has a heart of pure light, but there is a reason it shines so brightly."

Sora tilted his head to the side. "Why's that?" But he glanced at Kairi because they both already knew the answer.

"Because she is so dearly loved." Her grandma's eyes softened. "I'm not wrong, am I? You do love my granddaughter, don't you?"

"Yes," he said, simple and heartfelt and without any hesitation. "More than anything."

Kairi leaned against his shoulder and sighed. Hearing him confess his love for her still made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe the light inside her heart really did grow brighter with his affection.

Her grandma smiled that radiant smile again that made her eyes crinkle.

"That's all I ask. Take care of each other, or should I say, keep taking care of each other. Always find something to laugh about together, and you will know happiness." She looked from Kairi back to Sora with all the affection only a grandmother can provide. "You have my blessing. Go and start your new journey together." Then she paused, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she pushed the plate of apple pie closer to Sora. "But not before you've had your pie."

"Yes ma'am," Sora said, finding a nearby fork and digging in. "Don't mind if I do."

As they all laughed about that, Kairi just took a moment to bask in it all. The two people that meant the world to her, finally meeting after all this time.

She couldn't have asked for a better way to begin her new journey with Sora.

* * *

"There, that should do it," Sora said, pulling the oars back into the boat and setting them to the side, being careful not to splash any water on Kairi. "The view's gonna be great from here."

Kairi glanced back towards the castle and town. The sun was setting over the horizon, and brilliant colors streaked the sky like something out of a painting. Gentle waves lapped at their boat, and if Sora closed his eyes, he could imagine they were back home on Destiny Islands.

"Looks like we still have some time before things get started," Kairi noted. The last rays of sun made her hair look even prettier than normal. Sora wanted to run his fingers through it and catch some of the liquid gold mixing with her natural red.

"I thought it'd be nice to watch the sunset together too," he said. But really, he just wanted as much time alone together as he could get away with.

She turned and gave him a teasing look. "Or we could, you know—"

Sora didn't have to be told twice. Sunsets were nice and all, but making out was a million times better. Especially when Kairi did that thing where she tugged on his lower lip. He let out a soft moan, and she giggled and slipped her tongue inside his mouth. He forgot all about the lanterns and the festival and even the fact that they were on a boat after that.

It wasn't like he had anyone to compare her to (nor did he ever want that), but she'd gotten really good at this whole kissing business. It probably helped that they'd had a lot of practice lately. All she had to do was give him a look and he'd find some excuse for them to sneak off and spend a private moment or two together.

Afterwards, when he was feeling very satisfied and yet very much wanting more, mouth and tongue tired but body buzzing with energy, he rested his hand on his cheek and sighed as he watched her straighten her hair and clothes.

"What?" she asked, her face flushing. She'd caught him staring at her a lot lately. Not too surprising, really. If she was around, he couldn't help but look at her.

"Nothing. Just… enjoying the moment." He raised his eyebrow. "What, do you want me to stop looking at you?" He put his hand over his eyes and grinned. "Your wish is my command, Princess."

She was quick to pry his hand off his face. A little too quick. The sudden movement rocked the boat, and he laughed and grabbed onto her as she went tumbling into his arms with a surprised yelp.

"Careful there, Captain, we don't want to capsize," he said. Her hand rested on the thin layer of fabric covering his scar, and she looked up into his eyes.

"It's not going anywhere," he said, knowing why she was looking at him like that.

Her head drooped, her lips forming a tight line. "I know. I just thought that maybe… after you'd given up your power, it would be healed."

"It is healed," he said, putting his hand on her cheek. "It was healed the moment I got you back."

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she tilted her head to one side in that really cute way that made her hair brush against her cheeks.

"But I thought the scar formed before that."

"I'm not talking about the scar," he said softly.

She made a choking noise and her face scrunched up. "You're the worst. Do you want me to cry on our date?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry." All this romance stuff was still pretty new. He was trying his best, but there were still gonna be a lot of fumbles.

She rested her head against his chest and sighed, and he moved his hand up and down her back in a soothing gesture. The material of her blue dress was nice and smooth, but he found himself wishing he could—

"I'm happy to report you still have a heartbeat," she murmured.

"Good to know."

She paused, waiting, listening. "It sped up just now."

He kissed her hair. "I'm holding you in my arms, so… yeah. Of course it did."

They rested like that for a while as the boat gently rocked them, and Sora was beginning to wonder if she'd fallen asleep when her voice rumbled pleasantly against his chest.

"You've gotten quieter since we've gotten back."

"You think so?"

She nodded. "M-hmm. You get this far-off look in your eyes and you stare into the distance sometimes."

So she'd noticed. Well, it was hard not to, when he'd had the entire universe inside his head before. He couldn't help but feel a little strange, a little empty, without it all in there anymore.

"What can I say? I have a lot on my mind," was all he said.

Because that was all that needed to be said. He wouldn't rethink his decision to give it all up for her for even a second. It was more than worth it. _She_ was more than worth it. He'd do it again in a heartbeat if he were given the choice, and he didn't want her to wonder and worry if she was worth the sacrifice.

Besides, any emptiness he felt was offset by how full she made him feel. Just being with her was reward enough. It was better than all the power and glory in all the worlds.

"What's on your mind right now?" she asked, lifting her eyes and resting her chin on his chest. She played with his shirt, tugging at it and touching him through it with her soft hands.

Man that felt good. He didn't want her to ever stop.

"You," he said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "What else would I even be thinking about?"

She gave him a teasing smile. "The lanterns, maybe?"

He started. "Shoot, sorry!"

It was completely dark outside now and the ceremony would be starting soon. He fumbled around in his pockets trying to find their lantern.

Kairi just shook her head and grinned. "I still have it, silly," she said, pulling it out to show him. "Geez, you really are hopeless without me."

"I never said I wasn't."

 _That_ got her to blush. Sincerity really was the way to go with her. She always got tongue-tied when he said something really sappy so long as it was from his heart.

She carefully unfolded the lantern and he pulled out the lighter. Probably not tech that existed on this world, but hey, who was watching? Besides, a booming trade network was flourishing between the worlds now. It was only a matter of time before Corona had things like lighters and even computers.

And modern weapons. Sora's head hurt again and his heart did a little too, thinking about all the talks he'd had with the other leaders about how to handle that.

He really hoped people would be responsible with the power he'd entrusted them with.

But now wasn't the time to be thinking of all that. Kairi held out the lantern, and the small flame from his lighter lit it up. It illuminated the flower design and cast a warm glow over her face.

Sora put his hands over hers. "Let's make a wish."

She nodded and closed her eyes, and he did, too. There was only wish he could think of at a time like this, so that was what he wished for.

When he opened his eyes again, Kairi was looking at him with that soft look in her eyes again. The light from the flame flickered and danced across her face, and she gave him a gentle smile that melted his heart.

"What did you wish for?" she asked, and he almost told her. But he couldn't, because that would spoil the magic.

"Can't tell you," he finally said. "It won't come true if I do. And I really want it to come true."

She giggled. "Okay, okay. But let's make another wish, together this time."

"Sure. What's something you wish for with all your heart?"

Without missing a beat, she gave him her answer. "You."

He chuckled softly. "You already have me. It has to be something you don't have yet."

She took the lantern from his hands and set it to the side, then gave him a look that made his heart skip a few beats.

"Just to make sure." She leaned forward and kissed the spot over his heart. "Do I have your heart—"

"Yes."

Her hand slid to his stomach and she tugged his shirt up, exposing his chest to the chilly evening air. She found his scar and stroked its bumpy, uneven skin.

"—body—" she murmured, then gently pressed her lips against it, soft and warm and full.

"Y-yes."

Geez, did she have any idea what effect she had on him? His heart was pounding now, his chest heaving as he struggled to get enough oxygen to his brain. If he thought her touching him had felt nice, well, her lips on his bare skin, kissing, caressing, adoring—

Gulp.

She pulled his shirt back down, then brought her hand to his face and finished with a kiss right next to his eye.

"—and soul?"

She was being pretty bold, but all the things she was asking for were already hers.

"Yes," he said softly, and she gave him a beautiful smile.

"Then I don't have a wish so much as I have an offer."

"What?" he said so quietly he could barely even hear himself.

"I want to give myself to you, too."

"Kairi—"

"I love you, Sora."

His hands shook. That was the first time she'd said it without him saying it first.

She put her hand over his. "Now who's going to cry on our date?"

"Sorry, I can't help it." She knew what she'd gotten herself into with him. He had enough emotions for about three people, and being around her doubled that number. He cried at the drop of a hat. His laughter was deeper, too, his smiles bigger, his heart so full it couldn't help but spill over and sweep her up in his moments of joy and sorrow, too.

She brought her hand to his face. "It's okay. I'm here," she said softly, and that just made it worse. Maybe a part of her deep down still remembered what he'd said to her as a child. Or maybe she was just trying to comfort him the way he'd comforted her throughout their struggle against Xehanort.

"I have a different idea for our wish," he finally said, when he'd pulled himself together enough to talk again.

"Yeah? Is mine not good enough?" she said with a teasing grin.

He took a deep breath. "I… I'm selfish. I want more. I want you, but not just for today. Not just for tomorrow. I want you for a lifetime, Kairi."

Her eyes went wide, and her lips parted slightly in the flickering light of the lantern. But she didn't say anything, so he soldiered on.

"Death couldn't keep us apart before," he pointed out. "Who's to say we can't give ourselves to each other for eternity? Because I've made up my mind. I want you for forever."

"I want you for forever, too," she said, the words he'd longed to hear, the words he'd only dreamed of hearing before. He very nearly lost it all over again at the sound of them.

"Then I swear," he said when he'd managed to compose himself again, his voice low and filled with conviction. "I swear to you that we'll always be together, from now into eternity."

"From now into eternity," she echoed. "I swear, too."

It was time. They released the lantern and sealed their oath with a kiss before relaxing in each other's arms and watching the rest of the lanterns light up the sky. It was their own private show, specially arranged for them by Rapunzel and Eugene as a thank you for all their help.

When they got back to Destiny Islands, Sora knew there was one more thing they had to do. Their vow wouldn't be complete without it.

It was still dark outside and a little cold, but the first rays of dawn were already streaking the sky as the sun peeked out over the horizon. His jacket was draped over Kairi's shoulders, and a bright blue handkerchief was tied around her eyes.

"Sora, where are we going?" she asked, feeling around the air for any clue as to where he was taking her.

"It's a surprise."

He carefully led her through the Seaside Shack, then across the bridge to the spot where they'd spent so many lazy hours watching the sea together. The breeze blowing off it filled the air with its delicious salt scent, and it was a little lighter outside now.

"There," he said, after he'd told her to sit down on one of the blankets he'd prepared beforehand. "You can take it off now."

She tugged it off her eyes as he knelt beside her. When she saw what was in his hands, she gasped.

He grinned, his hands shaking in anticipation. "Don't you think it's about time we shared one?"

She couldn't get her hands on the star-shaped fruit fast enough. She tore off a huge chunk of it, and the sticky juice dripped down her fingers and onto the blanket.

"Open wide," she said, giggling, then crammed it in his mouth all at once in her eagerness. Sora would have laughed if he wasn't having trouble breathing. Juice dripped down his face as he tried to chew the enormous lump of citrus without choking.

When he'd finally managed to swallow, he wiped his mouth and grinned. "Were you trying to make me suffocate, or was that a challenge to see how much I could take?"

She giggled into her hand. "I admit I went a little overboard, but I was only trying to show you how much I care."

"Message received." He tore off a much smaller piece of fruit and held it up to her mouth. "Your turn, Kairi."

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, and he gently put the piece of paopu inside, pausing for a moment afterwards to cup her cheek.

"There. Now your destiny's intertwined with mine," he said as she chewed and swallowed.

"As if it wasn't already."

The breeze tickled her cheek and played with her hair, and a few strands of it got stuck on the juice on her chin. She brushed it behind her ear before reaching for the paopu and tearing off another chunk. But instead of giving it to him, she put it behind her back.

Sora stared at her, confused. She just giggled again. "We're supposed to share it, aren't we?" she said, a mischievous look in her eyes. "This is your piece, now come and get it."

Oh. _Oh._ When he finally did, he gave her a very pleased grin. He popped it into his mouth and swallowed, keeping her neatly pinned beneath him. The way she was looking up at him, cheeks flushed and chest heaving and a cute smile on her face, he knew she was enjoying this game as much as he was. Maybe even more.

Well, it _was_ a game they could have a lot of fun with. He tore another piece of the fruit off and she was happy to continue playing. To his surprise, it wasn't long before she'd managed to reverse their positions and pin _him_ down instead.

 _Thanks a lot, whoever taught her_ that _move._ Oh well. He still had the strength advantage; it would be easy enough to—

She was one step ahead of him. She gave him a wicked grin as his breath hitched, because she'd just straddled his hips knowing darn well what kind of an effect _that_ would have on him. Was it any surprise she got the piece of paopu after that? Geez, talk about a cheap shot.

Then, as if to make up for it, she leaned down, her lips forming a perfect little pout as she brought her face closer to his. The sudden movement shifted her weight, and his brain stopped working for a few moments, it felt so good. All he could do was melt into a happy puddle of goo beneath her as he closed his eyes and waited for her to—

Grab another chunk of the paopu and take off, giggling like crazy as he chased after her, half laughing, half shouting. She was determined to tease him to the end, that was for sure.

Right before she made it to the door of the Seaside Shack, his arms circled around her waist, stopping her from reaching safety. "And just where do you think you're going?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

He'd gotten faster. And stronger. That used to be enough time for her to run away, but not anymore. She wiggled and tried to escape, but he wasn't about to let go anytime soon. He brought her flush against him, tightening his grip around her waist and earning a surprised squeak from her.

"You thought you could tease me like that and get away with it, huh?" he murmured in her ear, his lips brushing against her earlobe. She shuddered, and he knew he had her. She was putty in his hands, and he was going to enjoy teasing her just as much as she'd enjoyed teasing him.

"I-I used to be able to." Her voice was breathy, and she was still panting from her sudden run.

He grinned. "But not anymore. Let's see, what should I do with you?"

His lips brushed against her ear again, and her whole body tensed with anticipation. He nuzzled her cheek, enjoying the way her breath caught as he did. His hands inched higher, higher, stopping just short of cheap shot territory before trailing back down to her waist and resting on her hips.

"It was here, I think," he murmured as his fingers found one particular spot on each side. He started tickling her, and she squealed and squirmed and thrashed but refused to let go of the piece of paopu.

"Sora, stop!" she said in between giggles.

She was really ticklish in just that spot, a piece of knowledge he was having way too much fun using against her. Her legs turned to mush, and she collapsed to the ground, taking him with her. They ended up in a tangled pile of limbs, giggling like a couple of maniacs as they tickled each other. Sora finally managed to pin her down, and he grabbed the piece of paopu from her hand and ate it with a satisfied grin.

"No fair," she said with a pout that wasn't doing a very good job of hiding her twitching lips.

He raised his eyebrow. "And what you did earlier was fair?"

She grinned. "I call it knowing my enemy."

"Your enemy? Your _enemy?_ Not your friend, or your boyfriend, or your—"

"Husband?"

His heart about stopped. He sat back and stared at her, mouth open, not really sure if he could believe his ears.

But he could. She had the sweetest smile on her face as she sat up and continued. "I've been thinking about what you said at the castle. We _are_ really young, but… what I said last night at the lantern festival won't ever change. I want you for forever. I don't want to rush into things, and we should finish school first and travel some more and make sure we're ready for that kind of commitment… But maybe in a few years?"

He couldn't answer her. His heart was too overwhelmed.

She smiled softly and caressed his cheek. "You're crying again."

He wiped his eyes and laughed. "Sheesh, Kairi, how could I not? You're telling me all the things I only dreamed about hearing before."

Then he kissed her, showing her with his body what she meant to him because his words weren't good enough anymore.

They went back to the paopu fruit after that, and there were two pieces of it left. Taking a moment to recover from their antics, they sat down on the blanket next to each other and caught their breaths. As Sora looked into her eyes, the gravity of what they were doing, the future they had agreed on sharing, hit him all at once, and he almost lost it all over again.

"Together," Kairi said, picking up one piece as he picked up the other. The sun had fully risen, its glorious rays bathing the whole world in its warm glow and making the waves sparkle in its brilliance. The birds of the Play Island sang and the cicadas buzzed to celebrate the coming of morning, but Sora hardly noticed.

Because in that moment, he and Kairi weren't just reenacting the cave painting, with her hand reaching towards him and his hand reaching towards her.

They weren't just playing out one of his fantasies, either, though this was one of his deepest desires, his greatest wishes. And he knew it was one of hers, too, going by the size of the paopu fruit she'd drawn in the cave for him and the size of the piece she'd shoved into his very willing mouth today.

No, it wasn't just any of that. It was something else entirely.

It was their dream. It was their dream that had, at long last, become reality.

Night was over, and a new day had dawned.

* * *

A/N: It feels so surreal to say this, but wow. Those Who Dreamed is finished. The idea I had for Dear Sora almost two years ago, which was originally supposed to be just a oneshot (haha, funny how that works), combined with this idea that wormed its way inside my head and refused to leave, this image of Sora becoming the ruler of Kingdom Hearts and then giving up his power to be with Kairi.

And that, everyone, is how you wind up with a series of over 250,000+ words.

Can you believe KH3 is almost upon us? When I first started posting, it felt so far away, and now it's so close. At the end of the day Those Who Dreamed was always meant to be a celebration of KH3, a way to make the wait a little more bearable, and now it's almost here.

A big thank you to FandomChanger, P-Artsypants, Mr. Spinner, readingchameleon, Haxorus night, fanficlove2014, ThreeDegrees, Ima Nonyme, Nightwing2013, wingedcatgirl, The Keeper of Worlds, FlightfootKeyseeker, Boogum, KaisakiTokura, SV, PsychopathicAngel2, Yurosoku, highhello, CharizardFreak, sjsreader, Sorrapotter716, KnightLawn, HardestMistakes25, gdg3417, and all the lovely guest reviewers for reviewing! It's been great hearing your feedback and interacting with each of you, and in times when writing motivation was low, you all encouraged me to keep going.

Thank you to everyone who followed and favorited Those Who Dreamed. And thank you to all of my readers. I appreciate the time you took to read this story and hope you enjoyed it. Even if you're reading this years after it was originally posted and we're all waiting for the release of KH7, don't let that stop you from leaving a review if you'd like - I'd be happy to read them!

Thank you to Boogum and Advocaat for letting me bounce ideas off of you and for all of your suggestions. You've both helped me grow as a writer and I really appreciate it.

But most of all, a HUGE thank you to my beta FlowerLady-Aerith. She is the best, seriously. She read all of Dear Sora and then read every single chapter of Those Who Dreamed and gave me feedback over every last part of it. The story wouldn't be what it is today without all her support. She helped me get out of a few ruts and iron out some wrinkles and turn this story into something I'm proud of.

Now that I'm done with this story, where will I go from here? Well, I do have some other KH projects in mind, but we'll see what happens, especially once KH3 comes out. Who knows what fresh inspiration it will provide!

As always, thank you for reading!


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